Connection
by Demica Webb Kempton
Summary: An improved re-write of "Connection: New Game": They are lost, confused and miles from home. They must learn to fight in order to survive. They must defeat Sin. Christie, Grace and Lysander join the Pilgrimage to discover why they were chosen to come to Spira and uncover a plan that spans over years and across worlds in which they are only the beginning.
1. Christie: Connection

Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Final Fantasy. The only thing that is my own are my OCs.

Summary: All journeys have a beginning and an end, as does every story. As with both, some take longer to complete than others but all change the traveller forever. Christie Wilson, Lysander Adams and Grace Buffay have all taken the first step of their journeys and they will travel to the one destination they cherish most: home.

Brief Author's Note: This is a re-write of the already rewritten "Connection: New Game". I am re-writing stories "Connection: New Game" through "Too Broken" as I, once again, feel that they are below par and need serious work and tidying done. Readers of the first two writes will be familiar with the plot but I will try to keep the story as fresh as possible. Also, "Connection: New Game" has now been deleted to make way for this re-write, so I'm sorry to everyone who had been following these stories.

This story contains violence and swearing.

Connection

Prologue

Six months.

It had been six months since I arrived in this place. Zanarkand. A place that never seemed real to me until six months ago. I was scared the whole time, lost and alone with no one to turn to. I was also confused and had so many questions: why was I here? What was the purpose? Would I ever get home?

I am not from this world. This is not my world; not my home. My name is Christie Wilson, a fourteen year old who played this when it first came out and forgot about it since. I don't remember how I got into this world and I'm determined to believe this was a dream. All just a dream and I'd wake up in my bed, or in hospital, or somewhere knowing I was home. All I know is that one minute I'm home and the next I'm lying in the middle of the street, my head bleeding from a bad fall, and a bunch of people standing around me wondering what the Hell happened. Of course I couldn't explain to them, I didn't know myself. One took me to a hospital, asked me my name, where I lived and such. It took me a while to register where I was, a week or two maybe because I didn't want to believe my situation. When I told them I didn't have a home I was made to stay in the hospital until arrangements where made. I was put in a care home for minors until someone had the heart to adopt me. I was orphan, essentially, but with a family who were on a different planet.

Six months I was stuck in that place, confused and lonely and unable to get any answers. That's all I really wanted, was answers. I had to find someone who could give me them and that care home was not the place, I don't think anywhere in Zanarkand was going to give me the answers I wanted. I wished that something would happen, something that would give me the answers I wanted.

Then there's the old saying 'Be careful what you wish for'.

It was evening and there was a huge Blitzball Tournament starting for the Jecht Memorial Cup. The Abes, the team Jecht used to play for and now his son did, were playing tonight against the Duggles and the runners of the care home decided to take us to the game. I did like Blitzball, if I was a little confused by the idea of it, my knowledge of the world was lacking severely and I was not prepared to rely on it and stuck to asking questions. I did like swimming and was a strong swimmer but I was far from the level the Blitz Players were at.

They allowed us to dress up for that night in our best clothes. I didn't have much in the way of clothes, bar the ones on my back, but I was got to wear a blue knee length dress, black sandals and a short black jacket. I was actually really excited to see the game, if anything at least I'd stop worrying about how to get home for a couple of hours. At least that's what I thought.

The game was well into the first half when it happened. I was with the other girls from the care home cheering for the Abes, who were already a point up against the Duggles. The Abes' Star Player, Tidus, was already showing off in the arena and had leapt out of the pool to perform his Sphere Shot.

It felt like time slowed down when the first blast hit. Screams filled the stadium and almost immediately everyone started pushing and shoving to get out as soon as possible. I was grabbed by one of the carers and pulled out of the stadium but another blast, along with people shoving, quickly separated us. I was pushed to the ground and almost trampled on, so I had to scramble back up and make a run for it.

I could see no one familiar when I escaped the stadium and got outside. There was rubble everywhere and people were screaming and panicking and wanting to get to safety. My instincts just told me to run, so that's what I did. I ran. I ran just to get away from the chaos with little to no idea where to go. It felt like the whole city was going to be destroyed. My fears were confirmed when I saw the cause of the explosions.

It was huge and grey, sending missiles at everything and anything. My blood went cold at the sight of it, yet something was compelling me to get closer. That was definitely something I wasn't fond of doing and I tried to turn the other way and run _from_ it rather than _to_ it. Every step I took back I took two forward. I groaned inwardly and started going towards the huge, dangerous beast destroying the city because that's a sensible idea.

Running towards the beast already had consequences and one of them was being surrounded by... things, I don't know what they were but I was more than freaked out. I couldn't fight and ran for it, being chased by the monsters. I didn't look behind me but they did get a few nips at my legs but all I did was keep running, getting closer and closer to the huge beast. Just keep running, that's all that was in my head. It was all I could do to avoid getting killed.


	2. Christie: Baaj Temple

Baaj Temple

I was cold, wet and had a splitting headache.

I had reached the monster and started to feel light headed and sick. That is really all I remember from then and all I could be thankful for was that I was alive.

I had no idea where I was but it was not pleasant. I sat at the edge of the water in misty ruins. Shuddering I wrapped my jacket around me tighter, it doing very little to help me at the moment. I shuddered and tried to clear my mind but all I could think about was the cold. Once again I was lost and alone, great.

"Hey!" I heard a voice echo throughout the ruins, making me stand up and look around. Someone was here? That's fantastic! I wasn't alone!

"Hello?" I asked loudly so they'd hear.

"Hey! Where are you?" The voice replied.

"On the edge of water, I can't be more descriptive than that," I answered. I could hear the light splashing of water. I was actually surprised to see who the owner of the voice was: Tidus of the Zanarkand Abes. Well that was unexpected. He got out of the water and I approached him slowly. "Are you okay?"

"Really? Not as great as I could be," He answered. "Do you have any idea where we are?"

"Not one," I admitted. "I was at the stadium, then everything just turned into a disaster. I ran and the next thing I know I'm here," Tidus nodded, understanding the situation. "I'm Christie Wilson, by the way," I offered him my hand and he shook it for a moment.

"Well I'm Tidus," He said. "Looks like we need to get out of here. Maybe we'll find a way back to Zanarkand once we get out of here."

"Let's hope," I said, starting to walk with him into the ruins. I wrapped my arms around myself to keep warm, hoping for some sort. I noticed Tidus had a sword with him that I was curious about. "I didn't know you practised sword-fighting."

"Huh?" He looked down at the sword before answering. "This was given to me not long ago, I'm only just getting the hang of it."

"Oh," I had. "Well I can't fight for buttons. At most I'll be good for bait." Tidus gave a small laugh that comforted me a little.

"Don't worry, the star of the Zanarkand Abes will protect you," I smiled, feeling better about the situation if only slightly. I wanted warmth right now I really thought my legs would freeze off. A short dress was not best for wherever the Hell we were. I had to keep moving to keep the little heat I had in me.

Tidus and I started to cross a bridge that led to a set of doors that hopefully provided warmth and a way out of this place. I did get startled when the bridge gave way suddenly and Tidus fell in while I clung to the edge, looking down for Tidus.

"Are you okay?" I asked, shouting slightly. The Blitzer emerged from the water, gasping for air having been caught off guard.

"Yeah, you?"

"Not really," I admitted. I didn't look too forward to losing my hold and plunging into the water. It looked freezing. "Is there any way out?" Tidus looked around before shaking his head. Sighing, I braced myself. "Okay, I'm going to drop in now..." I looked down with worry before letting go of the ledge, seeing no other option because I wasn't strong enough to haul myself up. As soon as I plunged into the water I let out a scream and struggled to the surface, taking sharp breaths. "That's too cold that's too cold!" I couldn't feel anything; all my limbs had seized up and stopped working. Tidus grabbed me and held me to keep me afloat, swimming over to the edge of the ruins and I shakily grabbed them.

"Hey just hold on and we'll get somewhere warm," He said. I nodded, unable to speak, my teeth chattering loudly. I gripped the rock for dear life while he tried to swim for an exit. Then I noticed something moving in the water. Something big.

"T-T-Tidus!" I stammered, making him turn around and just narrowly avoid the monster under water. The splash it made when it emerged from the water and dove back in covered me completely. I almost let go of the rock I clung to but I kept my grip on it as tight as I could when I could hardly feel anything. I tried to look for Tidus and the monster, seeing them under the water. I then started looking for a way out of the water.

Then I spotted a small alcove and started to grasp at the walls, keeping my grip on the broken stone, and pulled myself towards the possible escape route. I kept eyeing for Tidus but I couldn't see him.

"Tidus!" I shouted. He probably didn't hear me because he was still underwater. I pushed myself to get to the alcove and looked inside. The tunnel lead to land! It must have been a way inside the ruins! I turned around and looked for the Blitzer again. "Tidus! There's a way in!" He shot up from the water, looking behind him frantically for that monster. "Tidus we've got to go!" He spotted me as I started to go through the tunnel, struggling to keep myself moving from the cold. Tidus wasn't that far behind me and pushed me forward, both of us narrowly escaping a cave in.

We sat for a few moments to recover from the ordeal. Well I couldn't recover that much I was dying of cold here and Tidus wasn't any better. I was shaking so badly I could have cried if I had the energy.

"Hey, come on you need to move," Tidus said, getting me on my feet. Not that my legs were giving us any help. "If you move about you'll get warmer." I tried to move my legs, somehow ending up in the main part of the ruins with Tidus. We were both freezing and needed heat otherwise we wouldn't make the night, let alone the trip back to Zanarkand.

I sat in the middle and Tidus went to look for fire wood. He eventually came back with a withered bunch of flowers. He told me to move about and look for more, getting a dry patch for them to sit in the old fire place while he looked for something to light it with. I did find a few more dried up flowers and placed them on top of the ones Tidus found. When he returned he had flint and he started to light the fire. It was small at first but the heat was more than welcome at the moment.

"So you got any family in Zanarkand?" Tidus asked me. I was tired and just wanted to sleep but I think Tidus was trying to keep me awake.

"No... I lived in one of the care homes for kids," I said quietly, my voice dry and shaky. I could vaguely remember new articles from Zanarkand with Tidus in them, saying he never got along with his dad and his mum died not long after Jecht disappeared. It had always been a talking point within Blitzball because everyone compared Tidus to Jecht.

"How old are you?"

"Fourteen."

"Well don't worry, I'll get us back to Zanarkand soon," Tidus said to cheer me up. I just kept shivering, curling up into a ball to get heat in me. I honestly couldn't keep myself awake much longer and neither could Tidus. I wanted to go back to Zanarkand. I didn't want to be here; I wanted to go home.


	3. Lysander: The Salvage Team

The Salvage Team

"E rayn huecac ehceta. Tu oui drehg drana yna veahtc?" One of the guys asked as I stood at the door, applying the explosives to get in since the door was barred. Probably through years of decay.

"Ruf cruimt E ghuf? Tu E muug mega y vilgehk bcolrel?" I retorted, going back to the bombs. Rikku sighed, folding her arms impatiently. I gave her a glance but said nothing, fixing the bombs and standing up. "Ugyo. Dryd cruimt tu," I looked at the team and signalled them to move. "Ajanouha cdyht pylg ihmacc oui fyhd ouin vyla pmufh uvv!" We all stood back and I looked to Rikku, who nodded.

"Faybuhc yd dra nayto!" She ordered. We all took our weapons out and stood ready. I took out my pistol and shot one of the bombs, setting off a large explosion. "Mad'c ku!" The group advanced into the room and we found a guy fighting a fiend, along with an unconscious girl on the floor. Good thing we found them before the fiend killed them.

Rikku silently ordered the others to stand by, taking steps forward and removing her goggles. The man just narrowly dodged the fiend as he looked at us. I prepared my guns and Rikku tightened the claw on her wrist. We looked to one another and joined in the fight.

"Hey you on my side? Cool!" He grinned. I fired a shot into the monster while the guy ran in with his sword. He didn't seem too good with it really, couldn't really tell, swords weren't my thing. Guns were. The fiend came at me and I fired as it came near, knocking it back and firing again. Rikku threw a grenade once I was out of range and the guy gave another swing of his sword and the fiend burst into Pyreflies.

The kid leant against his sword, tired from the fight. He wasn't looking too good, he had no energy. The girl really didn't have any since she was unconscious. I went over to her to check her pulse. Very weak and she was turning blue.

"Hey! Let me go!" The kid shouted before the team trained their guns on him.

"Fryd dra vilg tu oui drehg oui'na tuehk?" I shouted, getting up and walking to the team. "Oui'na kuehk du gemm dras? Dryd kenm ec toehk yht oui fyhd du gemm dras?" I pushed one of their guns down and looked to Rikku. "Fryd'c ouin druikrdc?"

"Cra tuac haat ramb..." She said, looking over to the girl before addressing her team. "Fa dyga dras fedr ic." She then approached the kid and said something in his ear that I didn't catch before striking him in the gut and knocking him out. The team picked both him and the girl up and we headed back out to the salvage ship.

"I'll be glad to see the back of this place," I visibly shuddered and tensed as I looked at the large pools of water that filled the abandoned temple. Ugh I was freezing and water was everywhere. This was one of the worst places in Spira to be.

"Oh chill out, will you?" Rikku replied. "It's not that bad. If we can convince Brother they can help we'll be out of here quicker and back in Bikinal before you know it."

"No offence, Ri, but do you really see that girl helping?" I asked, nodding to the girl. "She's probably sick from the cold."

"Well the guy can help," Begrudgingly, but he will. "I'll get some Potions and she'll be better in no time." I'd hope so.

I pretty much ran onto the salvage ship, still not happy that we couldn't go home just yet. We'd thought the ancient ruins, the ones we were looking for, were here but there was just different ruins. It was either this of underwater and I was adamant we check an island first before we even talk underwater. Even thinking about it made me nervous. Actually I wasn't doing very good at the moment either.

"Fryd tu oui drehg oui'na tuehk?" I shouted when I noticed the team slump the guy and the girl onto the corner of the ship."E fyhd ran ehceta, kad ran du Rikku's pihg, huf!" They looked at me frustrated. I wasn't in the mood for their shit. "Zicd tu ed." I turned around and headed inside with Rikku as one guy took the girl off to Rikku's bunker.

"Well, let's go convince Brother to keep them," Rikku said. This was going to be a whole load of fun, I thought as we walked to the bridge of the ship where Brother was shouting out orders to start moving to the other location of the ruins. Great I'm going to be sick.

"Rikku! Lysander!" Brother called as we made our presence known on the bridge. He walked up to us to get our report. "Tet oui veht yhodrehk eh dra niehc?"

"Hu, pid fa vuiht dfu baubma cdnyhtat drana," Rikku started to explain. Even behind the goggles we could both see Brother getting riled. Henever did have a long temper. "Uha fyc vekrdehk y fiend yht dra udran ech'd famm. Fa bid ran eh so nuus ihdem cra'c paddan."

"Fryd fana oui dfu drehgehk?" He burst out, starting to become very animate as he talked. "Fryd femm vydran drehg uv oui belgehk ib nyhtus cdnyhkanc? Drao luimt pa Yevonites vun ymm fa ghuf!"

"Vencd, tuipd drao yna," I stepped in, a bit unamused. "Caluht, E's ymcu y nyhtus cdnyhkan oui pudr belgat ib." There was a bit of a silence after I spoke before Rikku tried the gentle, little sister approach.

"Bmayca? Fa drehg drao luimt ramb," She asked, her eyes getting a little wider with her request. I was surprised how well it worked against both Brother and Cid.

"Lusa uh, Brother," I added. "Ev ed sayhc fa'mm veht drec nieh yht kad pylg du Home xielgan, fa cruimt kad dras du ramb," I paused before adding a bit more on. "Ymdruikr E tuipd drao cbayg Al Bhed, zicd y druikrd." He seemed annoyed but Brother threw his hands up in the air in defeat.

"Veha! Ev drao lyh syga drascamjac icavim drao lyh cdyo!" He said, going back to ordering people around the bridge. Rikku and I fist bumped one another and headed out before Brother could ask any more questions.

"I'll go see if that girl's doing okay," Rikku said, patting me on the shoulder. "Hey you go lie down, you're starting to look as sick as her."

"Yeah, probably the best," I agreed. "Let me know when she wakes up, will you? I'll talk to her while you and Brother sort out that other one." Rikku gave me a nod and headed off to her bunk while I headed off to mine.

The bunkers were small, considering the size of the ship, but all we really needed was a bed and a small chest with a change of clothes. They weren't the best of beds, they weren't comfortable and every night you could feel the waves rocking the ship. Was enough to make me sick. Actually hadn't been sleeping well since I got on the fucking thing.

I lay on my back, trying to ignore the sick feeling in my gut, and pulled out a silver orb that I had dug up in Bikinal three months back. We thought it was an ancient Sphere. We actually couldn't put a date on the Sphere and there was no recording on it either. I said I'd hold on to it, see if anything comes up relating to it. No such luck so far, all it did was sit in my pouch. I had a feeling I'd figure it out eventually, it just felt like I would. Everything happens for a reason, right?

* * *

Translations of Al Bhed:

"I hear noises inside. Do you think there are fiends?"

"How should I know? Do I look like a fucking psychic?" "Okay. That should do," "Everyone stand back unless you want your face blown off!"

"Weapons at the ready!" "Let's go!"

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" "You're going to kill them? That girl is dying and you want to kill them?" "What's your thoughts?"

"She does need help..." "We take them with us."

"What do you think you're doing?" "I want her inside, get her to Rikku's bunk, now!" "Just do it."

"Did you find anything in the ruins?"

"No, but we found two people stranded there," "One was fighting a [fiend] and the other isn't well. We put her in my room until she's better."

"What were you two thinking?" "What will father think of you picking up random strangers? They could be Yevonites for all we know!"

"First, doubt they are," "Second, I'm also a random stranger you both picked up."

"Please? We think they could help,"

"Come on, Brother," "If it means we'll find this ruin and get back to Home quicker, we should get them to help. Although I doubt they speak Al Bhed, just a thought."

"Fine! If they can make themselves useful they can stay!"


	4. Lysander: The Girl From Zanarkand

The Girl From Zanarkand

"Hey," I had managed to sleep for what felt like five minutes, probably was, and still felt just as sick as I was before. "That girl's awake. I'm going with Brother to make sure he doesn't throw that guy overboard when we're not looking," I grunted a little and nodded. "You did say they probably couldn't speak Al Bhed," I gave the same response before being pushed slightly by Rikku. "Get up, will you? Lying here won't get anything done."

"Fine, pushy," I grumbled, getting another push. She was actually being a lot more gentle than if we were on land. She pushes really hard for someone her size. It was because I'd probably be sick or go out cold on the floor if I there were any sudden movements. Fucking hate boats. Rikku flashed me a smile before heading out, satisfied that I was awake.

I took a minute to focus myself, ignore the water, and headed off to Rikku's bunker. The girl was still there, I was hoping she was better. She didn't look any older than me. Although how Tidus was holding it together better than she was I didn't know, I suppose I should ask.

Rikku's bunk wasn't far from mine. I opened the door and saw her sitting in Rikku's bed, looking slightly better. Rikku must have given her an Al Bhed Potion, they were actually good against sea sickness and anxiety. The girl looked at me, her eyes were grey and tired looking. She was still unwell but getting better.

"How you feeling?" I asked to break the long, awkward silence.

"Fine," She answered, her voice hoarse. She coughed and cleared her throat. "Fine," She looked down again and we stayed in silence. Her accent was definitely different than any other one I've heard, and some Al Bhed have very thick accents, Rikku and Cid didn't though. She had a very different accent from the Al Bhed, though. "Where am I? What happened to Tidus?"

"The guy you were with in the ruins?" She nodded. "We've made a deal: we'll take you both to the mainland if he helps us in our excavation in the water," She nodded again, keeping quiet. I suppose I should make conversation with her, although Rikku was better at that than I was. "You were pretty bad when we got you and your mate there."

"He's a Blitzball player," She told me. "He's been trained to swim in cold water, I've heard the Blitz Sphere gets really cold in the later months, so he's more used to it than me." I shuddered at the idea of cold water but her head was down and she didn't see.

"Where are you from?" I asked. Her accent, I was starting to get an idea of where it could be from.

"Zanarkand," Oh, well I wasn't expecting that answer. "I lived in a care home there." She did? I looked in her eyes as she talked to see if she was lying but she, well she really looked like she was telling the truth but it didn't fit. Something wasn't right.

"How long were you there?"

"Six months... I think..." Six months. I've been in Bikanel for six months. Something definitely wasn't right.

"Do you remember anything before that?" She shook her head. "In Zanarkand... were you attacked by something called 'Sin'?" She looked confused. "Huge, grey, lizard-like beast thing? Blows everything up for no reason?" She seemed to realise what I was talking about now.

"Zanarkand was attacked," She nodded. "I was running away from the Blitzball Stadium when it happened. Then I ended up in the ruins with Tidus." So did she get hit by Sin's Toxin? That's what I was starting to think, anyway.

"What's your name?" I finally asked, hoping she at least remembered that.

"Christie Wilson."

"Lysander Adams," I suppose I had to break it to her about Zanarkand. "Listen, you're probably not going to like what I'm about to say but... Zanarkand was destroyed by Sin a thousand years ago," She looked even more confused and horrified. "It's revered as a holy place by Yevon. You've been affected by Sin's Toxin, it's making you forget things and your memories probably don't add up right." Christie just looked at me as if I'd grown a second head. I still felt as though something wasn't right.

"What?" She asked. "No. How could Zanarkand be destroyed? How could it be a thousand years ago?" Her voice was raising, getting more angry. "I saw it happen! You're lying!" I wanted to say sorry but it happened; it wasn't my fault she got pulled out of Zanarkand from Spira. I was more concerned about the Toxin.

Either way I left her alone in Rikku's bunker to calm down and waited for the salvage team to finish up.

* * *

Couple of hours later the team had returned. Well we got what we wanted, we found an Airship. It would take a couple of days to fully excavate it and store it within the ship, a week maybe, which was a week longer than I would have liked and it's going to take forever to get back to Bikanel. I honestly can't wait to get back to Home, which wasn't as fun because it had to be on a fucking island. Well Australia's just a big island and most places are at the coast so either way my luck was shit.

"So how is she?" Rikku asked during dinner.

"She's okay, I suppose," I shrugged, getting a quizzical look from Rikku. "She's got hit by Sin's Toxin. She only remembers her name, which is Christie, but she thinks she's from Zanarkand. I told her what happened to Zanarkand and she didn't take it well," Rikku's brow furrowed as I talked. "As I said, she got too near Sin. Probably the same with her friend," I looked around before looking at Rikku. "Where is he anyway? Please tell me he's still on the ship."

"Oh he is," She nodded. "They just won't let him inside," How nice of us. "Hey you should take some food down to Christie then and I'll take some to... actually I haven't asked him his name yet, I haven't had the chance." Before Rikku got up I got her by the arm.

"Why do I have to deal with the girl?" I asked.

"Well you're the one who said to bring her inside because she was sick," Was the answer. "So she's your guest now. Have fun." Thanks Rikku, you just want to get close to pretty boy Tidus out there. Still that Christie might be hungry, so I got some food and left to Rikku's bunker. I hoped Christie hadn't gotten pissed off or anything being alone, or maybe she went back to sleep. I knocked on the door to make sure but I didn't wait on an answer, I just knocked and then went in. Christie was sitting on the floor, picking at her nails.

"Hey," She looked up at me, shrugged, and went back to picking her nails. "I got you some food, in case you were hungry." I handed her the shallow bowl and cutlery. She took it and poked about the food for a moment before looking at me.

"What is this?"

"Fish mostly," I replied. "Not sure what kind and don't even ask what the spices are. There's rice as well. It's not that bad, really," Even though it was what we had pretty much every fucking day because we were on a boat. "Sorry if there's bones in it, that happens sometimes. And the powered spice can get caught in the back of your throat too, sometimes."

"Thanks anyway," She said and started eating. I just sat on the bed and waited for her to finish. In awkward silence, cursing Rikku silently. I had a feeling, a strong feeling, that she would end up saying that we looked cute together. Then I'll bang my head off the wall or nearest flat surface at the time. "Is Tidus okay?"

"Yeah, Rikku's getting him food as well," I said. "Rikku's my mate, she and her brother are running the salvage operation we're on."

"So what do you do here?" Christie asked.

"I'm a marksman and bomb expert," She looked at me in questioning. "I shoot things and blow things up, pretty much. I'm one of the best at it."

"Modest."

"A bit of pride never hurt," I grinned. Christie ate a bit more before asking more questions.

"So is this common?" Oh, here comes the 'Al Bhed' talk.

"Not really, Al Bhed get a lot of shit for doing this," Christie looked more confused. "Pretty much everyone on this ship is Al Bhed. They're like the outcasts of Spira because Yevon forbids Machina... machines, we call machines Machina."

"Are you Al Bhed?"

"Nope, you, me and your pal Tidus are the only people on this ship who aren't Al Bhed," I told her. "All the Al Bhed have green eyes, spiral pupils and blonde hair. They have their own language as well, I can speak it though. I work with the Al Bhed, they found me six months ago," I kept out the part about Bikanel to protect the others. Christie sat up on the bed beside me, having finished her food. "What's up?"

"Just... you said six months," She said. "I've been thinking. Sex months ago... I can't remember much before then," Sin's Toxin was causing that. "But I remember my family."

"Your family?"

"Yeah. My mum died when I was five," She started. "I've got an older brother called Andrew and a little sister called Bethany and... my dad's called Arthur," She looked down at the empty bowl. "But it doesn't make sense. They're all alive but I don't remember them being in Zanarkand," That really didn't make sense. "I don't remember them at the care home. Why was I at a care home if my dad's alive?" She looked confused to the point of tears. "I don't understand, I don't know what's going on."

"It's Sin's Toxin," I explained. I really didn't know how to explain the entire situation to her without freaking her out. "It'll clear up and it'll make sense then," She kept quiet and picked her nails. "Hey let's go see Tidus, he's probably worried about you." She nodded and I took her outside the boat, something I was dreading. Ugh how people liked sea air, it just made me sick.

"Hey Christie!" Tidus seemed pretty happy to see her. "You look pale, what's up?"

"You both got hit by Sin's Toxin," Rikku stepped in. "She just took it worse than you," She smiled and held out her hand to Christie. "Pleased to meet you, I'm Rikku. I'm sure Lysander's told you nothing about me," I rolled my eyes which Rikku noticed but ignored. "Hey I'm going to try get you and Tidus to Luca. There's a Blitzball tournament soon so maybe you'll see someone you know?"

"Sounds like a good idea," Christie nodded. Rikku nodded happily.

"Okay, I'll go tell the others," No sooner was Rikku away than the ship started to rock in an unsettling way. Obviously Rikku hadn't gotten far and had ran back out for us. "You need to get inside! Now!"

"Oh shit," I mumbled, my body frozen on the spot. The others came out to try drive off the beast that had arrived. Sin rocked the boat to the side and we fell over. "Shit! Get inside now!" Christie was gripping onto the rails for her life as the boat rocked to the over side, Sin threatening to turn us over.

"Christie!" Tidus yelled and went to grab her. The boat got hit and he lost his balance, as did I, both of us sliding down to the side of the boat. I started to panic and tried to grab onto something. I was too late and I had passed out from panic before I had even hit the water.


	5. Grace: Crusader of Besaid

Crusader of Besaid

I made the first move and went for a low jab with my spear at Luzzu's feet. He took a step back and I pulled the spear back, getting back into my stance. Luzzu rose his sword and went to slash down on me so I ducked down and rolled to the side, whacking him in the stomach with my spear and then pulling it back into position. He recovered quickly from the hit and used the same attack, only when I ducked he stopped and went for a kick which knocked me off balance but I recovered fast enough to roll backwards.

Luzzu then had the upper hand and went in with constant and fluent sword swings and I spun around him, stepping backwards to get out range of his sword. I then held my spear horizontally and blocked the sword, pushing him backwards and quickly moving around him and backing off from another swing. I swung my speak around and knocked it on Luzzu's back although he raised his arm and hit the wood, bouncing it back. Before he could disarm me I swung my body back and flipped out the way, stabbing the side of the rock and lifting myself up and pushing myself off, landing on the other side of him and holding the blade of the spear to his neck. After a few moments we both eased off.

"You've learned a lot in a small space of time," He complimented. I gave a smile and held my spear in both hands. "You do have a talent for battle."

"I have more of a talent for dodging things, really," I replied, trying to be modest. It was still nice that I had skill for this sort of thing, a bit frightening at first but it was good.

"Even so, you seem prepared for the Operation," Luzzu replied. "There's always room for improvement." That was true, always practise to improve. That's just how it was.

"Sir!" Gatta and a few other of the Crusaders ran up to us, saluting briefly. "Sir! Someone's been washed ashore! They're unconscious but breathing, sir."

"Someone just washed up on the shore?" I asked. In the middle of the night? That was weird. "Where are they?"

"We took him away from the water," Gatta said as we walked to the body. It was a boy with dark skin and back, spiked back hair. He was wearing a dark blue, sleeveless turtle neck with a zip running down the front, black trousers that were tucked inside black boots with amber laces and he also had a holster for his guns strapped around his legs and also had a pair of goggles round his neck. I bent down and checked his pulse. It was normal for someone who was unconscious.

"We need to get him to the village," I said to Luzzu. "He doesn't look too bad though, but we shouldn't take any risks."

"Of course," Luzzu nodded. Gatta and I started to lift the boy up and supported him. I guess the evening sparring session was going to be cut short this evening. The others were going to finish up on the beach and come back to the village later while Gatta and I took the boy to the Crusader Lodge.

The roads were quiet in the evening and everyone was asleep by the time we reached the village. The central fire that was lit every evening was still burning strong, keeping the village warm. We took the unconscious boy to the Lodge and placed him on one of the empty beds. He was showing no signs of waking up soon. I went to get a Potion for when he woke up but at the moment I thought we should probably let him sleep.

"Hey, what do you think happened?" Gatta asked as we sat, watching over the boy.

"I'm not sure," I said. He could have been in the same situation as me. "He's dressed a bit odd, don't you think?"

"Isn't this how the Al Bhed usually dress?" Gatta asked and I shrugged. I'd never met an Al Bhed so I wouldn't know. "Well he's not Al Bhed but he's got Al Bhed weapons. Do you think he's a Crusader?"

"Can't say," I answered and got a bowl, starting the mash up berries and herbs to make another Potion. This was becoming habit for me now since I got here, Lulu said I had a talent for Alchemy and I just kept practising and making stronger Potions for the Crusaders. I looked at the boy, he didn't look older than me, younger I guessed. Gatta went to sleep a while later since he and Luzzu had morning patrol so I stayed up and watched the boy for a few more hours until he finally started to stir. I actually jumped when he bolted upright, letting out a yell of fright, as though he had a bad dream. He breathed heavily for a while but calmed himself down, looking around the Lodge. I was amazed at how blue his eyes were, they were a really striking bright blue.

"Where am I?" He asked. His accent was very thick and very different from the island's inhabitants. In fact it made me a bit hopeful because it was an accent that I knew wasn't local. It was Australian. I held back a joyous grin and handed him the Potion.

"Here, drink this," I said. He looked at me for a moment before taking the Potion and downing it quickly. I sat back down and went back to the bowl, tasting the concoction. It was bitter, but Potions weren't meant to taste like candy. "How do you feel?"

"Shit," He answered gruffly. He checked that all his things were on him before stretching and looking at me. "Where am I?"

"Besaid village," I told him. "This is the Crusader Lodge. We found you unconscious on the beach last night," He looked as though he was going to be sick when I mentioned the word 'beach'. "Do you remember what happened?"

"I was on a boat and Sin attacked it," He told me. "Two other people fell off. Guy called Tidus and a girl called Christie."

"You were the only we found," I told him and added some water so it became a thick liquid and covered it. Usually I left them to sit to become more potent. When I put the bowl by the bed I usually slept in I turned to the boy. "I'm Grace, Grace Buffay," I held out my hand in greeting which he took. "What's your name?"

"Lysander Adams," I couldn't hold back a smile. "What?"

"Odd name."

"Yeah my parents really liked Shakespeare," He said.

"Where are you from?"

"Australia," I actually couldn't suppress a grin. I was so happy that my guess was right. I made sure no one else was awake and sat beside him.

"I'm from New York," I told him. "I've been hoping for so long that I wasn't the only one here. I've been here for six months."

"Same here," Lysander said. Something was on his mind, it seems. "How did you get here?"

"I remember being in a car crash," I said. "Then I was on the beach here. The Crusaders are the ones who found me and helped me. I've been helping them since," He had furrowed his brow when I said that. "What about you?"

"Feel off a boat then ended up with the Al Bhed," He answered quickly, shuddering at the unpleasantness. "I'm better not talking about it. Say I've got Sin's Toxin or something," I nodded, knowing that the Temples didn't like the Al Bhed. "Hey, do you know what this place really is?"

"What do you mean?" He didn't make any sense and kept quiet, waiting for me to continue. "Well this is Spira. It's a lot different from Earth and I don't know how I got here. It's really weird and I'm still trying to get my head around it sometimes but I'm sure I'll figure it out eventually," He nodded and I got curious. "What did you mean?"

"I thought you'd say it's a dream or something," He said. Well it would make sense, I guess. This was too real to be a dream, though. "It's not though. This is real and we have to figure out why."

"Well we can do that later," I said. "You'd best get rest. I'm going to sleep as well, I've got midday patrol and it's best to be alert for it. We can talk tomorrow." He looked as though he wanted to speak more but agreed to it and lay on the bed. I got onto my own bed and tried to get as much sleep as I could for tomorrow.


	6. Grace: Out Searching

Out Searching

I got myself ready as soon as I woke up, sorting out my Potions and equipment for my patrol. I'd probably meet Luzzu and Gatta during my patrol and I thought I should go down to the beach and see how the Aurochs are doing with their training. I thought for a moment, Lysander did say two other people got washed ashore so maybe it would be a good idea to take him down there. I was found on the shore and so was he so maybe luck would strike again?

"Hey, sleepy," I said, nudging his shoulder a little. He grumbled and opened his eyes slightly. "I'm heading out for patrol. Coming?"

"Not really," He grumbled, rolling onto his back and closing his eyes again. "You just go do Crusader things. I'll hang about the village."

"I was hoping you might find your friends," I said, trying to convince him to come alone. "Come on, Sandy, it's better than sleeping all day."

"I like sleep."

"Quit acting like a baby and get up," I sighed, pulling the sheets of the bed. Lysander grumbled unhappily but he did get up, putting on his boots and fixing his weapons onto his body. It did make me a bit uneasy. "You sure it's a good idea to bring guns out?"

"It's not but I've got nothing else," He said, sounding a bit grumpy. "I'll figure out an excuse, let's just go." I sighed at his attitude. I gave him the benefit of the doubt because he was young and we were in a different world as well. I grasped my spear and headed out of the Crusader Lodge with him and we walked out of the village together. There weren't a lot of fiends on the roads but there were still a good amount. Lysander was scarily accurate with a gun, and he could shoot enemies from a long distance away with his pistols.

"So," I said, trying to think of a conversation starter. Lysander looked at me, eyebrow raised as I thought to myself. "What did you do before this?"

"I was in high school," He answered shortly. "What about you?"

"I was in my second year of dance college," I said, he looked at me as though he wasn't expecting that answer. I did have a dancer's build, I thought it was obvious. "I've been dancing since I could walk."

"What kind of dancing do you do?" Lysander wasn't actually interested, he was only making conversation.

"Ballet, modern, contemporary, that kind of thing," I told him. "I really want to be a professional dancer when I leave college. I'll probably have to take an extra year to do that once we find a way back," He nodded, not really contributing to the subject. "Are you okay?"

"You know Christie?" The girl he said fell off the ship? Yeah, I remember. "She's from Earth as well but she doesn't remember a thing about it."

"She doesn't remember?"

"No, it's Sin's Toxin I'm sure of it," He said. "She came into contact with Sin and she's forgotten she's from Earth. I don't know how long the Toxin will last on her." He sounded so sure of himself but I wasn't so certain.

"How do you know?" I asked.

"How many people from Spira have an Irish accent?" He asked. Irish accent? Okay I suppose that convinced me. "She told she has a family that she remember but weren't in Zanarkand with her."

"Wait hold up," I said, stopping in my tracks. "Zanarkand? That's a bunch of ruins. How could she be in Zanarkand?"

"It's hard to explain," Lysander told me. I heaved a sigh at the answer. "Look it's really hard to explain, Tidus is from Zanarkand too. Tidus isn't affected by Sin's Toxin but we have to pretend he is, okay?"

"That makes no sense," I told him, folding my arms. "They were both in Zanarkand,

but Zanarkand was destroyed a thousand years ago. You're saying that Christie and Tidus were both in Zanarkand but Christie isn't from there really?" Lysander did look like he believed what he was saying, though.

"That's exactly what I'm saying, yeah," He said and we both started to walk on. I didn't get it, how could he believe that? Or did he know something I didn't? So Tidus was from Zanarkand, something I was sceptical about, and this Christie was in Zanarkand but was Irish but had Sin's Toxin so doesn't remember she's from Earth. If Lysander was hiding things from me, and possibly Christie, I hoped it wouldn't harm us in the long run.

Lysander seemed uneasy about going back to the beach, I noticed. During the walk he said he wasn't going anywhere near the water so I suggested he watch the Aurochs practising for the tournament that was coming up soon. I also asked if he had an excuse about his guns, only shrugging and saying no. I suppose he was just going to fight with them from here on out. I wondered if I could get him a different weapon? I mean, what if he ran out of ammo or something?

"Hey Wakka!" I called the Captain, who turned and gave me I wave and I returned the gesture. Lysander looked at me. "I want you to meet him. Him and Aurochs found me when I appeared on Besaid. He's a good guy," Lysander just shrugged and went along with it. Wakka came up to us as the others continued practice. "How's training going?"

"Pretty good, ya," Wakka answered. "Everyone's getting pumped for the opening tournament," That was good, I didn't hold back a smile. He then noticed Lysander. "This the guy who washed up last night?"

"Oh, Luzzu and Gatta told you then?" I asked. "Well, Wakka, this is Lysander. Lysander this is Wakka, Captain of the Besaid Aurochs Blitzball team." The two shook hands, maintaining eye contact.

"Nice to meet you, ya," Wakka said. "What made you end up in the ocean anyway?" Lysander visibly shuddered at the word 'ocean'. What was with him and water anyway?

"Was visiting some friends in Kilika but a storm hit and Sin attacked," He answered without skipping a beat. "I haven't got a clue how I ended up on Besaid shore but I'm not looking a gift horse in the mouth about it." Wakka seemed to understand, and bowed to him for being able to survive an attack with Sin, but I could sense wariness coming off him.

"How come you got forbidden machina?" He asked, directing the guns that Lysander had.

"That's what I fight with," I looked away and out at the coast awkwardly. He wasn't going to lie about them or hold back then. This was going to go very badly.

"You fight with forbidden machina?" Wakka asked, shocked that someone would. "That's against the teachings, though. Did you forget that Sin was born because people used machina?"

"Machina are as bad as the people who use them," Lysander retorted. "I use them to kill fiends, not people."

"Even so if we use forbidden machina we'll never atone for our sins, and Sin will keep coming back, ya?" Wakka then looked at Lysander suspiciously. The style of his clothes were familiar to him. "How come you're wearing Al Bhed clothes?"

"Because I owe them my life," The boy answered shortly. Okay getting very awkward for me now.

"Captain!" Oh thank goodness, a distraction. We all looked to the Aurochs, who had just narrowly dodged an incoming Blitzball from a blonde man in the sea while a black haired girl was swimming to shore.

"Hey! Christie! Tidus!" Lysander called. The girl saw him and he walked to the shore warily. She grabbed him and pulled him into a grateful and awkward hug. "Um, okay then."

"I thought we were going to die there," The girl, Christie, said, stepping back. Her dress looked in really bad shape, so did she. Her skin was dull and her eyes looked tired.

She and Tidus explained their situation: they had been effected by Sin's Toxins and could not remember where they came from or where they were or anything about Spira. Tidus was really good at Blitzball, having shown off a few of his moves to the Aurochs before Wakka decided to take the two back to the village for food, both of them really hungry.

"Hey Grace you want to take Christie and get her some new clothes?" I nodded. The poor girl was drenched, unlike Tidus'. His clothes were, for the majority of it, waterproof as Blitzer's clothes were. Christie was wearing a dress that was already in bad shape.

"Okay, come on Christie, the village isn't too far," I said warmly. Christie nodded and walked with me and Lysander. I guessed that Wakka was going down the river way with Tidus. That's the way the Auroch's went after training, usually racing the way back to Besaid.


	7. Christie: Fight or Run

Fight or Run

Lights spurted from the dog after Grace hit it with her spear. I stood there, completely shocked. Lysander had shot a bird with his gun that startled me. They were both looking at me as I stood in complete shock.

"W-what the Hell was that?" I exclaimed.

"They were fiends," Lysander explained, looking unimpressed. "Pyreflies come out of them when they die. Spira's full of monsters. Don't you know how to defend yourself?"

"I lived in a city and I'm fourteen what do you think?" I snapped at him, which he wasn't amused at.

"Once we get to Besaid you'll need a weapon too," Grace said. Really I didn't want to get a weapon and fight, I just wanted to be somewhere safe.

My head still felt really fuzzy from Sin's Toxin, or whatever Lysander said hit me. I still couldn't understand how I was alone in Zanarkand but I remember that my family are alive but weren't there. Everything before six months ago is a blur. I wanted to remember but I just couldn't, Sin's Toxin was like a mental block to me. It was really frustrating because I just wanted to make sense of what was going on.

The village wasn't too big but it was moderately sized with several huts and a big stone building at the far end of the village. It was pretty looking and there a wall that protected the village from attacks.

"Well, this is Besaid," Grace said. Lysander stretched and started to head off.

"I'm going to the Crusader Lodge, I'll see you girls later," He said and headed off to one of the larger huts.

"Come on, we'll get you something more practical," Grace took me to the shop hut. There were lots of items and clothes and cloth in the place which was actually a lot larger than I thought it would be. "Besaid's pretty famous for it's clothes and fabrics. They're really durable and comfy." She looked through a rack of clothes and I went to another one. I looked at her own outfit. She had a purple bodysuit on that was both showed her legs and her arms, a dark greyish-blue scarf that covered across her shoulders and had a hood at the back and blue googles round her neck. She also had black pouches strapped around her thighs and dark grey knee high boots and black gloves without the fingers that reached up to her upper arms. She had long blonde hair and brown eyes and her skin was quite pale.

"So what do you do here?" I asked when it got too quiet.

"I'm a Crusader," She said, looking through the racks. She looked at me and went on to explain when she noticed my confused face. "The Crusaders protect the villages and Temples from Sin. We haven't beaten it yet but we think we've got a way to stop it for good," I nodded slowly, thinking I understood. "We're basically protectors of the people," She pulled out something from the rack and showed it to me. "I think this will work. Oh and this, and with these. Go on, try them on." I nodded again, taking the clothes she offered and being shown where the screen was to change. I was also given a towel to dry myself off before putting on the clothes. I put on a pair of brown shorts that were really short with a green, sleeveless top that sort of was like a dress because on my left side it went straight down to my feet and it also had a darker green hood attached to it that I put up to hide the mess my hair was in. I got a dark of brown ankle boots with it as well. It was actually okay, a lot more comfy than my old clothes that's for sure.

"I really like these," I said when I came out. Grace glanced over me before nodding in approval.

"Yeah, cool," She said and went over to pay. She took me outside and we saw Tidus and Wakka, the man who was the Captain of the Blitzball team.

"Hey, how's it going?" Wakka asked. "Get everything okay?"

"Yeah, it's so much better than my old stuff," I said with a nod.

"You went to the Temple yet?" Wakka asked. The Temple? Oh the big building. I shook my head. "Well how about you and Tidus go there and I'll get something for lunch."

"Actually I was going to show her something," Grace said. "I'll get her to the Temple after, okay? You just go ahead, Tidus." I did get a bit confused but I went along with Grace anyway. I wasn't entirely sure what was going to happen but Grace took me to the Crusader Lodge, taking me out the other end. Lysander was lying on one of the beds, opening one eye when he heard us walk through. He decided to get up and follow us to wherever we were going.

"What's happening?" I asked.

"This is just a training area for the Crusaders when we're not on duty," Grace explained. "Normally we do large training sessions on the beach but sometimes we just train here," She went to a weapons rack and picked out a small sword, handing me grey wraps that I put on that ended just past my wrists. "Right, those will stop your hands from blistering. Now try this."

"What?"

"Christie you're going to have to fight," Lysander said. "We said this before: Spira's full of fiends and you need to defend yourself." I nervously took hold of the blade Grace held. It was small but it was heavy. It was just a standard sword, nothing special about it. I tried to adjust my weight but every time I tried I felt uncomfortable or I would lose my balance and stumble over. Grace and Lysander looked as though they were analysing me every time I did something.

"Okay maybe a sword isn't for you," Grace said, plucking the blade from my hand and tossing a pole to me instead. "See how that goes." It was lighter and I found my balance quicker with it. I looked at the stuffed straw body they used for training and went to whack it, hitting it really weakly. I tried again with the same effect.

"I'm not sure about that," Lysander said as he leant against a tree. "You're trying to copy Grace with that but it's not working and you're probably going to hurt yourself more than you hurt the fiends," I sighed and threw the pole back to Grace. "You're not touching a gun because the recoil would probably be too much for you to handle." I suppose so. But there were only swords and poles.

"Well I'm not sure what you want me to do," I sighed. They were expecting to fight when I haven't picked up a weapon in my life? Really? What were they expecting? That I'd be an expert in two seconds flat?

"What about Magic?" Grace suggested. "Although Lulu's the resident Magic expert and she's busy." Magic? I don't know.

"Nah something's telling me she's more of a physical fighter than a Magic one," Lysander said as he looked at me, arms behind his head. He seemed to be thinking deeply, an idea growing in his head. "Give that thing a punch, Christie." I looked at him as if he was mad. "No I'm serious. Punch it," I looked at the stuffed body and made a fist, pulling it back before thrusting it forward and hitting it with as much force as I could muster. Surprisingly it wasn't as sore as I thought it would be. Lysander gave a nod of approval and Grace stood, thinking things over.

"Fist-fighting?" She asked. "I don't know..." It dawned on me where Lysander was going with this and I looked at him.

"You mean you want me to run up to fiends and _punch_ them?" I asked.

"I used to do this, I'll help you out," He shrugged. The idea of running up to vicious monsters that would pounce and pull me apart without a second thought and punching and kicking them wasn't something I really wanted to do. "Oh come on mate you'll probably dislocate your wrists with a sword, pole and do more damage to yourself than the fiends with anything else." There was no getting out of this, I really didn't think it was a good idea.

"I'll try then," I said, my voice sounding completely deflated. I really didn't want to be hitting fiends with my hands, or be in range of them attacking me.

"Well you kids go do that," Grace said, getting her spear in hand. "I'm going to do another patrol so I'll catch up later." She gave a smile and went off. I just nervously went to Lysander as he started to help me fend for myself.


	8. Grace: Mistakes Are Made

Mistakes Are Made

I go out for a patrol for a few hours and I get the priests and Wakka on my back? Well that's great.

"You! You are going to take full responsibility for their actions!" I was confused, at first, when I saw the priest and Wakka coming towards me as I walked to the Crusader's Lodge. I heard Wakka calling on me and then the priest started yelling.

"What's happened?" I asked.

"Tidus and Christie have ran into the Cloister of Trials," Wakka explained. I stretched my arms, furrowing my brow.

"When did this happen?"

"Not too long ago."

"What happened not to long ago?" Lysander asked, just walking in on the conversation, coming out the Crusader Lodge and just casually joining in.

"Christie and Tidus are in the Cloister of Trials," I explained. "Where have you been?"

"Sleeping," Sleeping? Really? "Christie remembered she had to go to the Temple because Wakka suggested it. I've been sleeping since." Well I guess I better fill him in then on what's going on.

"There's a Summoner in there completing her training but she's been in there for over a day."

"Well we can't do anything because only Guardians are allowed in," Lysander shrugged. "And making the Summoner face the consequences is stupid because it isn't her fault and excommunicating her, a Summoner who can probably defeat Sin, is a fucking stupid idea."

"Actually Wakka and I are Guardians," I said to him, making him raise an eyebrow. "But I've been excommunicated from the Temples because I'm a Crusader. Wakka has no excuse."

"The Guardians in there can handle it, ya?"

"Shouldn't being a Guardian overrule excommunication?" Lysander asked. He had a point. "If you two are Guardians then you should go in before those two end up on the receiving end of two angry Guardians." Two? How did he know there were two Guardians in there?

"Wakka you should go," I said. "If you don't come out in an hour I'll come in," I looked at the priest. "I'll take responsibility for them. Just don't let this hurt Yuna, okay?" He seemed unhappy but he and Wakka left and Lysander and I went back into the Lodge. "How did you know there are two Guardians with the Summoner?" Lysander came to a halt and stayed quiet for a long time. It was very awkward and he was taking a good long time to answer. Eventually he turned around, his face completely blank.

"I guessed," I tilted my head to the side. "Just turned out to be right." I wasn't too sure, I admit. I just thought it was odd that he was oddly specific. Maybe it was just a one-off guess so I shrugged and accepted the answer.

"Okay," I sat on one of the beds and started checking all of my things. Yuna wanted to leave as soon as she gained the Aeon so I had packed as soon as she had went into the Trials. Now I needed to check I had made enough things for the Operation. Bombs, shields, Potions that kind of thing. I looked over at Lysander. "What are you going to do?" I wanted him to say he would come with us. He was from Earth, like me and Christie, I wanted us to stick together until we got home.

"I'm getting off this island," I smiled a little when he said that. "I'll go as far as I need to go," That was really vague but I didn't go further. "Hey how did you become a Guardian?"

"Yuna asked me to," I started off. "I helped her practice the Sending a couple of months after washing up here. The girl tries hard, not the best dancer but she tries really hard. She asked me to be a Guardian last month. Lulu wasn't too happy with it when she heard, since Yuna hadn't known me for a long time. I want to protect her though, I just feel like I need to protect her." It really had been a feeling since I met Yuna, that I had to protect her. The same feeling cropped up with Christie today as well, I had to protect her. Lysander, he had a different vibe. I wasn't sure what, it still felt protective though. It was strange and I couldn't explain it properly.

"So Yuna just asked and you said yes?"

"Well she wanted to speak to Lulu, Wakka and Kimahri about it first," I told him. "Wakka and Lulu were Guardians to another Summoner, Lord Zuke. He quit his Pilgrimage in the Calm Lands and went to Bevelle about six months ago and Lulu and Wakka came back here. They weren't sure about it but they accepted it as what Yuna wanted," I stretched a bit. "I did become a Crusader first though. I'll protect Yuna as much as I can but when the Operation comes I have to be a part of that." Lysander looked as though he wanted to say something but was keeping his mouth shut about it.

I knew what would happen if Yuna reached Zanarkand, I don't know how I did but I just knew. That's why I had to be part of the Operation. I couldn't let that happen to Yuna.

* * *

It was a while later everyone was gathering in the middle of the village, chattering away and staring at Yuna in anticipation. She had come out of the Cloister not long after Wakka went in after Tidus and Christie. Thankfully those two were getting off a little lighter because Yuna's ascent to Summoner was being celebrated.

I stood by Lulu, Kimahri and Wakka, giving Yuna support as she began the ritual of Summoning, calling forth the Aeon Valefor. She did it such ease, she made being a Summoner look so natural. The Aeon was accepting of her, also, proving that she was now a full-fledged Summoner. There was a feeling of pride in me for her. We were the same age but I just felt a pride for her.

That night was a large gathering of all the villagers, a huge bonfire set up, filling the whole of Besaid Village with light. Wakka had taken Tidus off to see the Aurochs and Christie was sitting with Lysander, who was keeping her company as the other villagers were stand-offish with her for what she and Tidus did. Yuna was speaking to some of the older people and some of the children.

"Who are they?" I looked up at Lulu, the woman was not happy. Wakka and I were not going to be on her good side for a couple of days.

"They got washed up on the beach," I told her. "They were lost and two got hit by Sin's Toxin. We weren't going to leave them there." Lulu scoffed, folding her arms.

"You don't get it, do you?" No I clearly didn't. "That boy, he looks like Chappu. This will only put ideas into his head," I never knew Chappu. All I knew from what Luzzu told me was that he was a Crusader and Lulu's boyfriend. He died last year fighting Sin and Wakka was still in shock about it. I never knew what Chappu looked like but if Lulu said that Tidus looked liked him then I suppose I should take Lulu's word for it. "What were you two thinking? Letting them into the Trials like that? Yuna could have suffered from their actions."

"Lulu, we didn't ask them to run in," I said, getting up to talk to Lulu face to face. "I didn't even know. I was on patrol, okay? Yuna's fine, everyone's fine, can't you just accept that? It's not like it's going to happen again."

"You'd best be right," Lulu frowned. She wasn't happy when I looked at what she was looking at: Yuna and Tidus talking, the Wakka speaking to Tidus afterwards. "Wakka will want him to come with us. He thinks they'll win the tournament with the boy."

"They might, he's no amateur," I shrugged. Well Lulu's already not happy, might as well say it now. "You won't like this but I want Christie and Lysander to come with us as well." Yeah, definitely not happy.

"What?"

"You think I'm just going to leave them here?" I asked. "They won't interfere in the Pilgrimage, I'll take responsibility for them. I'm not going to abandon them here. It's not fair."

"Enough, Grace," Lulu frowned. "I'll talk to you and Wakka later." Yeah that wasn't a good sign. Lulu really needed to loosen up, it's not like we had planned all of this.


	9. Lysander: Leaving The Island

Leaving The Island

Christie jumped when I shot up in the bed, shouting loudly and panting and shaking. She got a fright and stepped back while I tried to regain my bearings, shaking from the nightmare. It took me a while but I calmed down and looked at Christie, who had her hands at her chest in worry.

"Sorry mate," I breathed. It was just a nightmare, I told myself, sighing and shaking my head. "Fucking fuck face fuck."

"Are you okay?" She asked.

"Yeah. Bad dream," I said, trying to shake it off. "What's up?"

"We're waiting for Yuna. Grace asked me to get you before we leave," Christie said. "We'll be going to the boat soon, I think Wakka said it was going to Kilika before Luca or something like that." Boats. Fucking boats. Fucking water.

"Ah fucking fuck shit bugger," I cursed. Christie just stood and watched me as I swore. Ugh I fucking hated water; I hated boats. I looked at Christie, knowing she was confused. We hadn't talked about it. Well I talked to it with Cid and Rikku and some of the other Al Bhed. "I hate water."

"You hate water?" Christie repeated, slightly confused. "But if you hate it then why were you on the ship?"

"We had all decided that I force myself on that boat," I grumbled. "But when I was a kid I nearly drowned and I hate going near water but I'm in a shit position because I don't want to stay on this fucking island," I got up and made sure I had everything on me. "But the only way off is a bloody boat and the sooner I'm on the mainland the happier I'll be," Double check everything's there. "Right, let's go." We both walked out of the tent with Grace, Wakka, Lulu and Tidus waiting for us.

"Hey. Sleep good?" Grace asked.

"Can't complain," I lied, shrugging. That dream was niggling at the back of my head but I was trying to ignore it. It felt real but most of my dreams that involve drowning are too realistic. "So we off soon?" I noticed Yuna walking up to us as I was talking. She looked nervous but happy at the same time. She wore a smile on her face all the same.

"Ready?" Wakka asked the Summoner.

"Yes," She answered quickly before bowing to the village as a way of saying goodbye. I knew there would be villagers waiting to say goodbye at the boat so this was going to be all tears there. Something I really could be going without. I could also be going without sitting on a boat until we reach Luca but I can't have everything.

"Hey how you feeling about fighting?" I asked Christie as we headed out the village and up to the hill. We'd only practised for a few hours yesterday and she was only able to get a hang on basic kicks and punches. Sure it was something but it wasn't enough for the whole Pilgrimage.

"I'd rather not get close enough for them to eat me," She replied.

"You'll knock them for six before they get the chance," I told her. She didn't have a lot of background in fighting but she had an odd talent for hitting hard and was picking it up quickly. She looked at me with a half smile, still not confident in fighting and that I could understand I mean she wasn't from a background where she fought. Neither were me and Grace but she was a dancer and worked with that and my dad got me into clay pigeon shooting. "Hey how's the Toxin?"

"Um, it's okay I guess," Christie said. "I still can't make sense of what happened before Zanarkand, what happened to my family or where they were." It did get me to thinking, how long would Sin's Toxin take to wear off? I mean, I had no idea how long it would last for her, if she'd ever remember everything, if she knew what Spira was on our world. Grace certainly didn't. I was the only one who seemed to know what Spira was in relation to Earth. I had told myself not to tell them; it would only confuse things more. I didn't know how they first handled being taken from Earth but we didn't need things to fuck up after they've settled. I guess we had to find a way back now, and find out why we were picked out of the millions and millions of people in the world.

Everyone went to the small shrine to pray for a safe trip. Everyone but me and Christie did it, I stood and watched while Christie shifted from foot to foot, unsure if she should join in or not. We stood at the back, knowing no one would see us not praying. It took a while for everyone to stop and start heading down the path towards the beach. I wasn't looking forward to going on that boat, which is probably what brought on the nightmare.

The nightmare was just another drowning one, I've had recurring nightmares since I was a kid. You just learn to live with them. It felt a bit different from the other nightmares though. It was in the Via Purifico, I was running until I reached water and jumped in, trying to find an exit but it started to become darker and the walls were getting closer. When I tried to turn back I couldn't and I felt my chest tightening and my lungs filling up with water until I was near death. Then I woke up. Why it was in the Via Purifico I wasn't sure, maybe because of being in Spira the scenario changed. Maybe.

It was still quite early and the sun was just coming up. This would probably be the pattern of the entire Pilgrimage: up early, bed late. Well we had a lot of ground to cover to reach Zanarkand. It was a long way from here. At least we didn't have to back track like some Summoners.

"You know I think if we run into a bunch of fiends Yuna should call her Aeon," Grace suggested while we were walking along the path. "Put that training into practice."

"That's not a bad idea, ya," Wakka agreed. "You think you're ready, Yuna?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," The Summoner smiled. I'd been around the Al Bhed too long because I was actively thinking about kidnapping Yuna and taking her to the Sanctum. I'd actually met a couple of Summoners down there before, angry at the Al Bhed for kidnapping them. It was for their own good, instead of dying senselessly.

"Tidus!" Christie called and we turned around, Kimahri and Tidus having a fight a fair bit behind us. Well he would doddle behind. We headed towards them, hoping to stop the fight before one of them got seriously damaged. By one of them I meant Tidus.

"That's enough!" Wakka yelled. The Ronso relaxed his stance, as much as a Ronso could, and started to walk away.

"What's with that guy?" Tidus asked breathlessly.

"Kimahri Ronso, of the Ronso Tribe," Lulu said. "He has learned the fiend's way of fighting."

"That's not what I meant," Tidus told her.

"What is it with you and being mistaken for a fiend?" I asked him, laughing a bit.

"Kimahri's one of Yuna's Guardians," Wakka said. Tidus made a noise of understanding and Yuna laughed.

"Sometimes we don't understand him either," She said. "Kimahri doesn't talk much anyway. But he's protected me since I was a child. He was actually the one who brought me to Besaid."

"That your first time seeing a Ronso, ya?" Wakka asked Christie and Tidus. "They live on Mount Gagazet, but they've got their own Blitzball team. Thought you would have known, ya?"

"Probably just the Toxin," Grace said. "I think we should all get going, the sooner we leave the better." The sooner we leave the sooner we're off the fucking boat.

I trailed at the back when we arrived on the beach, mentally bracing myself for the trip on the boat. When Christie was asking about it they were saying how it would take three days to reach Kilika if the weather was good. Then it would be about four of five from Kilika to Luca, depending on if we left in the morning or later on in the day. Over a week on a boat, I'll be failing miserably at repressing panic attacks and things like that. The joys of being a hydrophobic. The sooner I see Luca the happier I'll be.

"Hey! Come on!" Christie called from the ramp. I stood at the start of the pier, bracing myself to walk across it. The same happened when I was on the ramp to get on the salvage ship, too. Rikku was saying they should knock me out and drag me on. Balls out, not a bad idea. Christie was looking at me expectantly, as though she was encouraging me to do it.

I kept my eyes firmly on the wooden planks, taking very slow steps, ignoring the crying people but the sound of the waves were still in my ears. I was physically pushing myself forward and probably looked like a twat the way I was walking. When I did get on the boat I let out a breath that I was holding the entire time.

"Nice work," Christie said. Nice work? I made myself look like a fucking tit getting on this boat. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I'm going to pass out," I told her. The sight of all that water, yeah I'm feeling sick and faint. "I'm heading to the cabins. If I don't see the water that might help."

"Good idea, I'll come down later," Christie smiled. She meant well, she was nice kid. I started to carefully make my way towards the cabins, getting the sight of water away from me.


	10. Christie: To Kilika

To Kilika

I had went to check on Lysander down at the cabins but the guy was still asleep. He seemed to only be awake for a couple of hours to eat then he'd be asleep again. He must have really hated water to try block it out as much as he could. He said he could have been worse but I don't think anyone really wanted to find out if that was true or not.

It was the third day of being on the boat, around the afternoon. Grace suggested that I get to know everyone better and started to explain to me what Yuna's Pilgrimage involved. Lulu wasn't very interested in speaking to me, Tidus or Lysander, and when she did she was quite cold. Kimahri, that huge blue Ronso thing, didn't speak at all but Wakka and Yuna were nice to us. They told us not to worry about their attitudes because that was just how they were. Still I couldn't help but think it didn't hurt to be nice.

I could see Yuna and Kimahri at the front of the boat, lots of the other passengers crowding around her, wanting to speak with her. Wakka had told me that Yuna was the daughter of High Summoner Braska, who had defeated Sin ten years ago. When I asked why is Sin still here Wakka looked at me like I'd grown a second head. He then went on to tell me that Sin comes back because we need to atone for the crimes we committed in the past, which were relying too heavy on Machina. The way Grace said it sounded as though she didn't believe it though so when I asked if it was true or not she said she didn't know, but she thought it was a little extreme that Spira was being punished for technological advancement.

"Hey," I was sitting on a few crates and staring out at the ocean when Grace came up to me. "What's up?"

"Nothing really," I said. "Hey when will we get to Kilika?"

"I'm guessing at night," She replied. "So we should be able to get a sleep in the Port before heading to the Temple tomorrow," The Port? Grace noticed my quizzical look. "Kilika is a Port town, built entirely on the shallow shores of the island. The actual Temple is on the mainland, past the jungles."

"Why is it a Port?" I asked. Grace gave a shrug and a guess.

"Maybe the land on the island is too uneven to build a town on," She said. "I've never been there before. The Crusaders told me a lot about Spira's geography."

"What else do you know about it?" I asked. I really wanted to know as much as I could about Spira because Tidus and I knew nothing about this world. Grace gave my question some thought and sat beside me on the crates.

"Well Luca is the second largest city in Spira, that's where we're going after Yuna and the Aurochs pray at the Temple," I was puzzled, again. "Well, the High Summoner Ohalland defeated Sin two hundred and thirty years ago and he lived in Kilika. Before he became a Summoner he played for the Kilika Beasts, the Kilika Blitz team. So before the major tournaments all the Blitz teams go and pray to Ohalland for victory," Grace gave a sigh. "Although with the Auroch's luck they'll need more than prayers for victory. They'll need a miracle if they want to win."

"Well Tidus joined the team. He's a really good player," I told her.

"Yeah but one really good player with a good player and the rest of the Aurochs isn't going to give them a huge advantage," She said. "The Aurochs haven't won a game in twenty-three years, or so I'm told. I'm all for the underdog, don't get me wrong, but they're going to need a couple of miracles to win the cup," I nodded and looked at the ocean. "Hey is Lysander okay? Every time I want to talk to him he's asleep."

"He told me he hated water," I answered. "He really hates being around it, I think he just sleeps so he doesn't have to deal with it."

"Oh right," Grace nodded, changing the subject. "Hey how's the Toxin? Think the air's been clearing your head?"

"Not really," I frowned. "It's still really fuzzy, I remember little bits and then I forget. Last night, before I went to sleep, I thought about this town. There was water and it was quite a big town. Limer... Limer something. I can't remember what it's called. But it was on an island, next to another island."

"Ireland?" Grace asked. I looked at her, surprised at her suggestion. Ireland sounded so familiar to me, but at the same time I was so confused. Ireland wasn't in Spira, or Zanaraknd. So where was it? "Hey it'll take time. If you need to talk to someone you've got me, okay?" I nodded. For a girl three years older than me she certainly acted motherly. Maybe that was just her personality.

Grace later went down to see Lysander and I headed up to the front of the boat. Tidus and Yuna were away up the front, talking to one another. Kimahri stood close by, as did Wakka and Lulu.

"Hey how's it going?" Wakka asked when he saw me.

"Not bad," I answered. "Grace was telling me about High Summoner Ohalland and that Blitz players pray at Kilika."

"Yup. One of the best Blitzers there ever was," Wakka said. "We go every year before the game and pray for victory," I nodded. "But we're here for Yuna first. She's got to pray at all the temples before she reaches Zanarkand." Tidus and I had heard that Zanarakand was destroyed a thousand years ago, which made no sense. I still wasn't ready to believe it. A lot of things weren't making sense at the moment and I could do nothing about it. I only hoped that this Toxin would fade as soon as possible.

The boat jolted all of a sudden, throwing us forward as a huge grey fin rose from the sea, a huge wave soaking the ship.

"Sin!" A passenger shouted and panic grew with the realisation. I grabbed the closest thing to me that was stable and didn't let go, terrified of being thrown overboard again. Sin was ahead of us by a small amount and I saw sailors running to the harpoons at the front.

"What are you thinking?" Wakka called. "You harpoon that thing and we'll all get dragged under!" I panicked and gripped tighter to the ship.

"Our families are in Kilika! We have to do something!" The sailor yelled. "Please forgive us Lady Yuna!"

"Lysander! Get up here!" I heard Grace yell from the other side of the boat. I didn't know how much he hated water but I was hoping it wasn't enough to not help us. "Lysander! Where are you going?" Grace groaned and ran up to the top of the boat before looking at me. "Get in the cabins, go!" She took her spear and ran at a beast that I remembered from Zanarakand. I was attacked by so many of them and all I did was panic and run. Grace said that I should go in the cabins, like Hell I was.

One of the monsters spotted me and came at me. Despite my better judgement saying I should run, the adrenaline had be charging and kicking the thing right over. It hurt it a bit but not as much as the swords, spears and Magic were. I put myself into the fighting stance Lysander suggested for me, so if I was attacked I wouldn't lose my balance and I wouldn't hurt myself. The same monster came at me and bit my leg so I brought my fist down over its head, Pyreflies fluttering out of it.

The adrenaline was filling me. It didn't even occur to me that I had just killed something. Maybe it was because it was a monster, not a person. It still didn't register with me that I had killed. Not for a while.

It was hard to keep steady because Sin was throwing us back and forth, dragging the ship with it to Kilika. The ropes of the harpoon snapped, breaking apart from the ship and throwing us backwards, water thrown onto the ship and soaking everyone. I landed flat on my back, gasping for air when the boat started to settle. I looked around the place, seeing if everyone was okay.

"Where's Tidus and Wakka?" I asked.

"Your friend fell overboard," Lulu said calmly. How could she be so calm? "Wakka dove into the sea after him. They'll be fine, don't worry."

"But they could be miles away by now!" I said. I wasn't as strong a swimmer as Tidus or Wakka, but I didn't want to stand and be unable to do anything. I couldn't do anything though and that was frustrating.

I looked ahead, seeing a small blot on the horizon. Kilika was there and so was Sin. If Sin had completely destroyed Zanarkand then the damage it could do to Kilika... a chill went down my spine just thinking about it.


	11. Christie: Unable To Leave

Unable To Leave

Sin had completely destroyed Kilika. There were only a few survivors about, crying and devastated by the destruction Sin caused. It was harrowing and sailing towards the town made me feel uneasy, uncomfortable, and like I really shouldn't be there.

The sun was setting by the time we arrived. A bunch of people were standing at the port, waiting for us to get off. Yuna was the first and approached the civilians, bowing in prayer.

"I am the Summoner Yuna. I have come from the Isle of Besaid," The sounds of relief from the people were loud and grateful, some even bursting into tears when the word 'Summoner' was mentioned.

"M'lady Summoner!" A woman cried.

"If there is no other Summoner here, please allow me to perform the Sending," The Sending? I didn't know what that was but it seemed like a good thing from the sounds of gratitude the men and women were giving.

"Oh thank you, we feared our loved ones would be fiends!" The woman wept. The others were just as grateful to Yuna's offer. They ushered her away further into the town while everyone else was getting off.

"Okay boys let's see what we can do to help around town!" Wakka ordered the Aurochs, who nodded and went ahead, looking for people who may have survived and were needing help out of the wreckage. Wakka went with them as Tidus and I still stood on the boat, looking at one another.

"What's a Sending?" He asked.

"I have no idea," I replied. "All I can tell is that it's something they want. I don't want to ask in case... well, it's not really the best time to ask questions, even if we're saying we've been hit by the Toxin."

"Yeah, you're right," Tidus agreed. "We should go see what it is though." I nodded before realising that not everyone was off the boat.

"You go ahead. Lysander's still on board, I'd better get him," I headed down to the cabins and looked for Lysander. He might have been asleep, like he usually was. No, instead he was on the floor, sitting against the wall, looking freaked out until he realised I was there, then he tried to hide his uneasiness.

"Everyone off?" He asked very quickly. This wasn't like him, as far as I could tell in the time I'd known him.

"Yeah. Yuna's went to do a Sending," I said. "I think the boat's going to leave soon to go back to Besaid, we'd better get off."

"Onto a fucking town standing on water?" He said uncomfortably. There was definitely more than a hatred of water going on with him. I should have noticed it earlier. He didn't just hate water; he was terrified of it.

"It'll be fine. Nothing's going to happen," I tried to say, trying to console him. He looked at me with a glare.

"Don't try baby me, Chrisite," He snapped. I blinked a little at his anger, unsure what to say.

"Well fine, go back to Besaid," I snapped back, turning and leaving the ship. Part of me was hoping he'd follow me off and everything would be okay. He was pretty angry and I really didn't want to have a shouting fight, not at a time like this. I decided to go find the Aurochs and try help about town.

"Hey, you okay Christie?" Wakka asked me.

"Yeah, need a hand?"

"Yeah, can you pass over that wood there?" I nodded and started passing the Aurochs boards of wood to help them build bridges to the people who were stranded across town. "How come you're not going to the Sending?"

"I don't really want to," I admitted, trying to find the right words. "I mean, I can't remember what it is because of the Toxin, but part of me is telling me that Sendings made me uncomfortable." It wasn't a total lie. The word 'Sending' made me uneasy and I wanted to avoid them as much as possible. I had never been to a Sending before so why I felt that way confused me.

"It's a funeral for the dead," Wakka said to jog my memory. "Summoners perform a ritual that sends the souls of the departed to the Farplane. When people die, they get angry and refuse to believe their dead. They eventually become so angry at the people still living, they become fiends who attack us if they're not Sent," I nodded at the explanation. The idea of the dead attacking the living was uncomfortable though, like the rest of this situation. "It's okay if you're not comfortable, ya? Not exactly the happiest thing to go to."

I helped the Aurochs out for a couple more hours until everyone had come back, the people kindly offering the Inn that had managed to mostly stay in once piece, with a little rebuilding, for us to stay before we went to the Temple on the mainland. I hadn't seen Lysander since I got off the boat, which had sailed away a long time ago. I worried; I thought he was still on it, sailing back to Besaid. I hadn't known him for long but it was long enough for me to get attached to him. I mean he'd helped me and Tidus out a lot and he helped me fight, I didn't want him to just disappear.

I think this was the first time I really started to think about Zanarkand, about the small things I could remember before then. It always came back in small doses. Little memories coming back to me and making no sense. I couldn't piece them together because they were so scattered. It was too confusing and all I wanted was for things to make sense again. Something kept telling me that, until I knew what was going on and until I could make sense of everything I couldn't leave Spira. I couldn't go back to Zanarkand with Tidus or back to that strange place called Ireland that Grace mentioned. Until I could make sense of everything I was stuck here. I didn't like the idea of that happening. I didn't want to be stuck. I wanted answers and I wouldn't get any sitting about. I had to find them, no matter what.


	12. Grace: Temple of Fire

The Temple of Fire

"Hey how's it going?" I asked Christie as she headed down the stairs of the inn. The others were waiting outside for us so we could go to the mainland. Christie looked a little sad, I noticed. The whole atmosphere of the village wasn't exactly great though.

"Lysander's gone isn't he?" Lysander? Now that she mentioned it I hadn't seen the guy since before we fought Sin on the boat. I actually didn't know where he was.

"Maybe he's on the mainland?" I tried to assure her. She didn't look persuaded by the answer but I didn't know what else to do. I really thought Lysander would cause nothing but trouble, I still didn't want him gone though. He was from Earth like me; we had to stick together. Christie was from Earth too, I could see why Lysander was adamant in believing that. Her accent wasn't as heavy as I had heard, but someone told me that Northern Ireland's accents are heavier than Irish accent. I thought they were all the same.

Christie didn't say anything so we went outside with the group and decided to head to the mainland before it got any later. The Temple was actually quite far in on the island to prevent Sin from damaging it. I was right about the island though; it was too bumpy to have a village built on it. I'd heard some of the Crusaders ever say that the Temple's built on a dormant volcano.

It was a long walk to the mainland and we were hoping Wakka would hurry up with Tidus and the Aurochs so we could get on our way. It would probably take the full day to get to the Temple and back, Lulu's judgement was usually right.

"I would... like to talk to everyone," Yuna suddenly said. We turned to face her as she looked at the ground in thought, fidgeting a little. Christie stood a little back, thinking it was Guardian talk. "I want Tidus to be my Guardian."

"You're serious about this, aren't you?" Lulu asked, getting a nod from the young Summoner. Lulu sighed and folded her arms.

"Yuna, maybe now isn't the best time," I said. "I mean, to be a Guardian means to protect you with our lives. Sure, I think Tidus is the kind of person who would do that but, well, he's not the best fighter." Yuna kept her head down and I knew she wasn't happy. I looked at Lulu, who kept her arms folded and sighed again.

"I agree with Grace, Yuna," She said. "Perhaps this isn't the best time to ask him to be a Guardian," Yuna nodded solemnly. I tried to think of a compromise for the girl.

"Maybe, when Tidus and Wakka get here," I started. "You could suggest it, see how he feels about it," I noticed Lulu frowning and Kimahri was indifferent, as far as I could tell. "Maybe after the Tournament would be the best time to properly ask him. By then he's had time to think about it." I was still getting a disapproving look from Lulu for the idea. She's probably call a Guardian's meeting on the topic once Wakka got here.

"Hey Grace," I turned to Gatta who was with a platoon of Crusaders and Luzzu, we all saluted one another in greeting. "What you waiting here for?"

"Oh we're not all here yet," I said. "You guys training before the boat gets here?"

"Indeed we are," Luzzu responded. "However we've received reports that Lord Ochu has been sighted near the Temple recently. You'd do well to be on your guard." I nodded and looked at Christie, getting an idea.

"Hey, can you guys take Christie for some training?" I asked. "She needs the practice, it'll do her good to get some tips off the Crusaders." I hoped they'd say yes because she really needed to work on her style. She tried her best on the boat though.

"For a couple of hours, I suppose," Luzzu nodded. Christie's face seemed to brighten up and she went off with the Crusaders, waving goodbye to us.

"I'll meet you at the Temple later," She said and went off with the platoon. I sat on a nearby rock as we waited for the Aurochs to joins us.

* * *

There was still no sign of Lysander at all through the woods. This was actually brought up a couple of times as we walked to the Temple. We had no idea where he was and it wasn't a very comfortable feeling. I was hoping that he was at the Temple, maybe. I was just hoping and hoping and hoping that he was there. Even when we joined up with Christie at the bottom of the steps to the Temple she hadn't seen him either.

"You'll never guess what happened when I was with the Crusaders," Christie said to change the subject, looking excited about the news. "When we were training we ran into the Lord Ochu and we beat it! Luzzu was saying that normally they could send a hundred Crusaders at it and still lose. They said I held my own against it really well, too. They did a lot more than I could though but I'm getting better."

"Have you considered studying Magic?" Lulu offered. "Perhaps you would fare better in battle, or at least having it as a skill would come in handy." Christie considered it for a little while. Lysander said that she looked like more a physical fighter rather than a Mage.

"I could try and see how I get on with it," The girl nodded. We started to head up the steps to the Temple, Christie talking to Lulu about Magic. It was good that she was improving quickly, at least she was getting more confident in fighting. I suppose that was all that mattered right now. I don't think I'd forgive myself if we all couldn't get back home in one piece. I really wondered where Lysander was and if he was okay.

As we were about halfway up the stairs to the Temple I noticed the Aurochs starting to goad Tidus and Wakka into a race. We stopped at the top of the set of stairs and watched the Blitzers get in line. I felt spirited so I joined in with them.

"Yuna, if you would?" Wakka asked. The Summoner got in front of everyone but stood at the side so she was out of the way.

"Ready?" She held her arm up and held for a second. Then she darted off ahead of us with a laugh. We all went off after her, running up the steps to the top, where a huge platform sat and looked out to the ocean, also leading to another flight of stairs that lead to the Temple entrance.

Expect that it wasn't filled with priests or people as it usually was.

"Sinspawn!" The Aurochs yelled. I took out my weapon and stood close to Yuna to defend her.

"Get the others and keep your distance!" I yelled to them as they ran out of the way. Wakka and Tidus brought out their weapons. The Sinspawn was like a huge growth on one end with tentacles sprouting out the ground on the other. One of them rose up to strike out and I got in front of Yuna, blocking it with my speak but the force knocked my weapon out of my hand.

Lulu threw a fire spell at the tentacles with Wakka and Kimahri attacking them. Christie and Tidus went directly for the Sinspawn but weren't doing much to it. I ran over to my spear and ran to the armoured shell of the Sinspawn, ramming it deep into its hide. It did a bit more damage but I couldn't get my spear back out.

"Lulu! Fire!" I called over as Kimahri took down the tentacles. The Mage cast the spell onto where my spear was stuck. The Sinspawn jolted as I yanked my weapon out, the monster bursting from its armour to attack us head on.

Christie actually ran up to it and gave it a punch on one of its arms as it was lifting it to attack. Wakka threw his Blitzball at it and Kimahri kept Yuna a good distance away so she wouldn't be hurt but her White Magic was doing us all a favour. Lulu's Magic seemed to be doing the most damage but as we all attacked it the Sinspawn burst into a huge cloud of Pyreflies. We remained tense for a few moments, bar Christie and Tidus, who slumped down as soon and the Pyreflies emerged from the beast.

"Sorry, hoped to break you in a little slower," Wakka laughed a little. "But you handled yourselves pretty well, you got talent there."

"What was that thing?" Tidus asked.

"Fiends that fall from Sin's body and are left behind in its wake," Lulu explained. "If left alone, Sin returns for them." It was really just Sin being as destructive as possible.

"Well it's dealt with now, we should get going," I said. With everyone agreeing, we headed up the stairs to Kilika's Temple.


	13. Christie: Sin's Toxin

Sin's Toxin

After we defeated the Sinspawn things started to get uncomfortable in the group.

Wakka had asked me and Tidus about the fiends in Zanarkand. I'd never seen any before Sin attacked but Tidus mentioned that it was highly uncommon but a big deal was made when they did appear. We were really surprised that he believed us about Zanarkand all of a sudden. Then it got awkward when Lulu started to get really angry with Wakka about him thinking that his brother, Chappu, was taken through time when he was really killed by Sin. It really just made everyone awkward and I don't really think she should have said it the way she did. It was a bit cutting.

After that we got a glimpse of the Luca Goers, the Blitzball Champions. All they did was belittle the Aurochs, and probably the other teams when they saw them. They were just... needlessly mean. Wakka and the team didn't go down to their level when they taunted their abilities. I really couldn't wait to see the Aurochs beat them badly in the tournament with Tidus there. Grace mentioned that the Goers were the kind of people who were needing to be knocked off their pedestal.

_Then_, after getting rid of them, we went into the Temple and met the Summoner from the village. Her name was Dona and her sole Guardian was Barthello, who I just assumed was her boyfriend. She started to taunt Yuna about her amount of Guardians, saying it was quality over quantity, and that her father was the same, having a large group of people guarding him. Yuna did her best to justify her choices, claiming that she trusted all of us with her life. I barely knew her, how could she trust me so easy? Thankfully that situation was ended and everyone started to head up to the Cloisters. Tidus included.

"Tidus!" I called down, getting his attention. He came down the stairs and I lowered my voice so the priests wouldn't hear. "Remember, we're not Guardians. We can't go in." He made a noise of understanding and we looked up to everyone at the door.

"We'll be back soon, okay?" Yuna smiled. We waved them off and sat off to the side, by the statue of Braska.

"What do you think would happen if we went in?" Tidus asked. Neither of us had faced the consequences of our actions in Besaid for entering the Cloisters.

"Yuna would have suffered and she would have been excommunicated, like the Crusaders," I answered. I shocked myself when I spoke with the knowledge already in hand. I blinked and Tidus looked up at me.

"Lulu tell you that?"

"No... I just... knew," I said and held my head. "Ever since we left Zanarkand my head's been everywhere. It's this stupid Toxin."

"How could you have the Toxin and not me?" Tidus asked with confusion.

"Beats me," I sighed. "The more I think about it, the more I start thinking that... that I'm not really from Zanarkand." Tidus actually didn't look shocked at that. Well, more like he wasn't as shocked as I expected him to be.

"I thought Auron was the only one," He said. I vaguely remember hearing about Auron from some of the older girls. Ten years ago he came to Zanarkand and helped Tidus' mother raise him. Then she died and he became Tidus' parental guardian. He was apparently a friend of Jecht's.

"Was he from Spira?" I asked.

"He never did say where he was from, but I think so," Tidus told me. "Hey if you're from Spira then maybe your family's here and not in Zanarkand, right?" I brightened up at the thought. Maybe my family _were_ here. It didn't explain the memories about a placed in Ireland though. Grace seemed to know about Ireland, maybe it was far away from Spira?

"Do you think you'll get back to Zanarkand?" I asked. Tidus gave a sigh that clearly meant he was trying not to think too much about it.

"I thought if I found Sin, it'd take me back home. It brought us here, so I was hoping it would work both ways," He started. "I don't really know any more. I miss it and I want to go back," He sounded so sad. "Sorry, I think this song's getting to me." The song was a little familiar, I do remember people singing it in Zanarkand but I had other memories of it being sung in other places. It felt a little weird thinking about it because I couldn't remember them clearly and they felt alien.

"I'm going outside for air, coming?" Tidus shook his head and I went outside. It was only slightly cooler because of the breeze but it was a huge difference either way.

I really missed Lysander. I wondered where he was, if he was okay, if he'd get back to the Al Bhed okay. He was really brash but he was a good guy and he was my friend. I didn't want him to just leave.

"Sorry miss," A child's Blitzball hit my arm and I jumped in fright. I crouched down to the Blitzball and handed it to them and their mother joined us.

"I'm terribly sorry about that," She said. I stood up to speak to her.

"It's fine," She was strangely surprised at me and then started to bow and that just made me confused.

"I'm sorry, I didn't not recognise you, Lady Siren," Lady... Siren? What? She was confused at my confusion but continued speaking. "I thought you had already obtained our Aeon. Have you not been to Zanarkand?"

"I think you've got me mistaken for someone else," I said awkwardly. "I'm not Lady Siren."

"Oh, forgive me. You look very much like her," The woman said. "I was so certain it was her. She visited Kilika as both a Guardian and a Summoner ten years ago."

"Really? She was a Guardian and a Summoner?" The woman looked even more baffled at me. "Sorry. I'm still trying to shake off the Toxin."

"Oh, I pray you rid yourself of it soon," She said with a bow. "But yes, Lady Siren was both a Guardian and a Summoner. Many people said she was inspired by High Summoner Braska, whom she was a Guardian to. She was also Guardian to another Summoner, Lady Pyre, previously. She quit her Pilgrimage before becoming Guardian to Braska as atonement for abandoning her duty." I nodded, reminding myself to ask Yuna about her father's Guardians later.

"What happened to Lady Siren?"

"I heard a lot of people saying she climbed Mount Gagazet alone and never returned," The woman frowned. "I fear that, without Guardians, she never made it to Zanarkand."

"She didn't have Guardians?"

"No. Lady Pyre died not long after the Calm began," Oh. "She would have been the only one Lady Siren would have trusted as her Guardian." I nodded again, thinking everything over.

"Thank you, I've taken enough of your time but I appreciate you telling me this," I did the bow awkwardly, she just took it as a sign of the Toxin, returned the bow and we exchanged goodbyes. I thought about Lady Siren and being mistaken for her. When I though about it more, it felt strange, like it was familiar to me as soon as her name was spoken. Okay it was more than strange it was downright bizarre and confusing. I really wanted the Toxin to just clear up and allow me to make sense of things.


	14. Grace: To Stay Together

To Stay Together

"_So we're heading back to Luca?" He asked as he walked up to the front of the ship. There was a light breeze with the smell of salt filling the air. Even with the tension it all seemed calm. Calm from her perspective anyway._

"_Then to the Highroad, past Djose, over the Moonflow, through Guadosalam, across the Thunder Plains, through Macalania, passing Bevelle and to the Calm Lands," She said, her voice very soothing. The man sighed and slumped forward, leaning on the barrier of the boat. "You knew this would happen. We both knew. I've made up my mind and you can't change it."_

"_Ed'c y buehdmacc cylnevela," He muttered in Al Bhed. I couldn't understand him but the woman obviously had knowledge of the Al Bhed language and frowned at him._

"_It's not pointless. You expect me to let this continue?" She scolded. "The Final Summoning can destroy Sin. I can bring peace to Spira so others can live their lives."_

"_Then it comes back and countless others die," The man snapped back with exasperation. It sounded like these two were having the same argument over and over again. "We've been jumping through the same hoops for a thousand years! Don't you think we should try something else?"_

"_Then you've thought of something?" Her tone was half retort, half hopeful. When the man didn't respond her face fell and she looked out to the ocean. "I suppose it was... too much to hope for."_

"_Nothing is Pyre," The man said. Pyre only sighed in response. "There's another way. We just haven't thought of one yet."_

"_You can think of one once I bring the Calm to Spira," She was almost as determined as Yuna, which frustrated the man more._

"_I'm not letting you die!" He started to turn away and Pyre grabbed his arm._

"_Gynsy, please," He pulled away and started walking off down to the cabins._

"Grace," I turned around to Lulu, the vision, memory, whatever it was, faded away once she had spoke. "Guardian meeting, remember?" Oh yeah. Lulu wanted to talk once we had privacy, almost forgot. I walked up with her to the upstairs part of the boat, where Wakka already was.

"What about Kimahri?" I asked.

"He won't leave Yuna's side," Lulu said. "It's better we talk about this when she isn't around." I already knew what this was about.

"Tidus, Christie and Lysander?" I asked. Lulu's nod confirmed my suspicions.

"Lulu relax, Tidus is bound to know someone in Luca," Wakka said.

"What about the others?" I asked. "Either way, we can't just leave them in Luca."

"What do you want me to do?" Wakka asked.

"Yuna wants to make Tidus a Guardian," Lulu said. "And Christie's became attached to Lysander, who is determined to join us," She then looked at me. "And you won't let either of them leave."

"Christie's got Sin's Toxin and is fourteen years old. I can't leave her on her own," I defended. "And Lysander's just going to cause trouble. He's way too impulsive to be left to his own devices."

"Doesn't he work for the Al Bhed? That's why he dresses like one, ya?" Wakka asked, getting irritated. "That's just going to cause trouble for Yuna." I couldn't just say to them that I wasn't even from Spira and that it was the same with Christie and Lysander. I couldn't just let them leave the Pilgrimage even if they weren't Guardians.

"I know, I know," I tried to reason. "But I really just can't leave them behind. I know it sounds ridiculous but you need to trust me. I promise it won't get in the way of Yuna's Pilgrimage."

"You're hiding something, Grace," Lulu frowned.

"Look please just let me figure it out. I'll talk to them and I'll figure it out before the tournament, okay? Please?" Wakka seemed more sympathetic than Lulu. I could understand they didn't want any interference with Yuna's Pilgrimage but they couldn't just leave a bunch of kids alone. Maybe Lysander had the Al Bhed to go back to but he's made it abundantly clear that he's coming along whether we like it or not. Sure he got backlash for disappearing on us on Kilika and sitting on this boat the entire time, but he's still coming with regardless.

"You'd better figure it out soon, then," Lulu told me. I was so relieved but then again we were kind of low on options. "But you don't know if they have plans when they reach Luca. I think you should talk to them."

"Yeah, I should probably do that now," I was so glad that I could go and I headed off to the cabins to find Lysander and Christie. I hoped they weren't asleep because it was getting really dark now. That and Lysander's been doing nothing but sleep the whole damn ride.

* * *

They were both sleeping down in the cabins. It was kind of cute actually: Lysander was sitting upright, his head dropped with his brow furrowed and his mouth in a frown. Okay he looked more grumpy than cute but it made me smile anyway. Christie was all cuddled up to him like a kid, mouth open slightly and a lot more peaceful looking than Lysander was. Part of me wanted to leave it until the morning but I'd probably get told off by Lulu for stalling. So I just decided to wake up Lysander, who grunts and half opened his eyes.

"Hey Sandy, need to talk," I whispered so Christie wouldn't wake up. I wasn't sure how light a sleeper she was. The boy grumbled at me. "Hey it's important, come on." He just grumbled again, eventually getting up after a couple of minutes when he realised I wasn't going to leave. He shifted from Christie and made sure she didn't slump down onto the ground hard before following me out the room. I didn't think going up top would be a good idea because he would probably faint or something.

"What's up?" He asked, rubbing one of his eyes.

"Lulu and Wakka and wondering what you and Chris are going to do after the tournament," I said, not really knowing where this would go or if it would end well. "Yuna wants to make Tidus a Guardian but you and Christie haven't got any attachments to the Pilgrimage. I tried saying that Christie's got the Toxin and it wouldn't be fair to leave her on her own but... well... you haven't exactly got an excuse."

"I really didn't think Yuna would make me a Guardian anyway," He shrugged. "I've been trying to think of an excuse, of anything that'll keep me about but I've got nothing."

"I just don't want us split up. We need to think of something," I folded my arms and tried to think, but I had nothing. I looked to Lysander, who looked like he was going to be sick. "You need air?"

"Sea air's the last thing I need," He said.

"Well I don't think anyone's going to like you being sick in the cabins."

"Well if I'm sick overboard I'll keel over."

"What is it with you and water anyway? No one's talked to you about it since we got on the boat," He was going paler by the minute. "Really? Every water-related word puts you in a freak out mode."

"It's not a freak out, I just hate water."

"You don't hate it, you're scared of it."

"I'm not scared," He so was! I knew what scared looked like and he was scared. There's nothing wrong with being afraid of something. He gave me a glare that specifically warned me to back off on the subject and that really got to me.

"Geez you don't have to be a fucking drama queen about it," I said. He was clearly tired and pissed off and I felt an argument coming up. "Can we just get back to think of something to keep you about?" He gave a grumble but said nothing. I sat on the floor and put my fingers on either side of my head. "Think, Grace, think. There's got to be something."

"There's literally nothing keeping me here that we can explain rationally," Lysander pointed out grumpily. "But I'm still sticking about and so's Christie."

"She seems like a 'it's the right thing to do' person but..." I really didn't think Lysander was the kind of person to hep because it was the right thing to do. He was more of a 'along for the ride' kind of guy. He wasn't exactly happy with it.

"I'm not?" I didn't say anything, he was already royally pissed off. "Well I give a shit about what happens to everyone, what _is_ going to happen to everyone. You think I like the fact that Yuna's giving up her life in a pointless sacrifice? That the Al Bhed are hated because they think differently? That the Crusader's are going on a suicide mission? That-"

"What?" I stood and looked him directly in the eye. I had never mentioned the Operation to him. Ever. "You know about the Operation? How?" He fell silent and it made me suspicious.

"The Al Bhed. I know they're working with the Crusaders. Some of them mentioned the Operation and that they're using Machina and... something else," His answer was very blunt. It was convincing enough but...

"You knew that Yuna had two Guardians with her in the Trials," I said.

"I guessed that," He defended.

"You guessed that, maybe, but no one would go around talking about a highly secretive mission like this," I said. "You know something."

"I'm as lost as you."

"That's a lie!" I realised my voice was a bit too loud there so I pulled Lysander into a different room to avoid people looking at us. "Listen, I don't know what you know or how you know but you tell me now."

"I'm as lost as you," He repeated. He was lying and I knew it and he knew I knew. Why couldn't he just tell me? I kept my eyes locked on his, hoping he'd cave and let me in on his secret. "Grace, I really don't know how I know these things, I'm as lost as you," I gave up with him and turned to leave the room. "Grace you've got to believe me."

"Let me tell you something," I said, seething at his earlier words. "If I _ever_ hear you saying that the Crusaders are on a suicide mission again, I swear to God I will hurt you," He was taken aback by my anger. "I don't want Yuna to die, I don't want any Summoner to die. I want an alternative, the Al Bhed want an alternative, the world damn _world_ wants an alternative. The Crusaders are using an alternative. Don't you dare say it's a suicide mission." I left the room and went back up top so the air would clear my head. I wasn't any further forward and I was really hoping that thing I saw with Gynsy and Pyre was just a one-off weird happening. If it wasn't, well that was the last thing I needed to worry about.


	15. Christie: Luca

Luca

"Hey Christie!" Tidus called on me as he was standing on the front of the boat, past the barriers. I ran up to him and carefully climbed over the barriers to join him, gripping onto the rope so I wouldn't fall in the water.

The city we were getting closer and closer to was amazing to say the least. There were so many balloons and cheering and hundreds of people walking up and down the docks. There was a huge grin on my face as I watched us getting closer to Luca. It looked so amazing already and I wanted to get off the boat and run around the city.

"Hey you two!" Wakka called. The pair of us climbed back down over the barriers and to Wakka. He gave me a large grin. "You look like you've never seen a city before. This your first time in Luca?" I looked at the city and thought for a while.

"Probably," I told him with a smile on my face. "The city's going to be an adventure in itself. I want to see every part of it."

"You'll get time today, don't worry," Wakka said. "The Tournament doesn't start for a few days yet."

"Why not?" Tidus asked.

"The teams come from all over Spira, so it takes time for everyone to arrive," Wakka told us as we walked to the cabins. "When they do, the captains are given the line-up for the games and then the tournament can begin. We'll fix up strategies and training when we know who we're up against."

"Where are we staying?" I asked, bouncing on my heels a bit.

"Don't worry, it's all sorted, ya?" Wakka said. "Now you all gotta wait here until they finish announcing the teams arriving. It's just us, the Beasts and the Goers so it won't take long."

"Have fun then," I smiled and waved Tidus and Wakka off as they went to join the Aurochs. I joined everyone else as they stayed at the back while someone was talking to the teams about who was leaving the boat when, how to wait until the other are off the boat before coming on and things like that. I decided to make conversation while we waited since this whole thing would take a while. "So have you been to Luca before?"

"Only once when I was little," Yuna said to me. "I didn't stay long; Kimahri was taking me to Besaid at the time. So, I suppose this is my first real time in Luca." I gave her a smile when she said that.

"We can look around the city before the Tournament then," I grinned. "It'll be a fun thing to do before we continue the Pilgrimage," It was a little silent but I decided to talk to Lulu. "Hey Lulu, have you stayed in Luca before?"

"Not really," She replied. "I've only seen a few tournaments here before. Other times we were just passing through to continue the Pilgrimage. I've not really stayed in Luca for some time now."

"How about we all go around the city then?" I declared, hoping everyone would agree.

"We won't have much to do until the Tournament, it'll be a fun way to pass time," Grace said. "I think we should do it."

"I think it's a wonderful idea," Yuna smiled. The Blitz Teams had left the cabins and we could faintly hear the commentary going on above us. "Let's go cheer everyone." I agreed with Yuna and ran up with her up to the top of the boat where the teams were being announced into Luca. The Aurochs really got the short end of the stick; they were being slagged something awful. Yuna and I looked at one another, a bit shocked that they were being slandered as much as they were. Seriously, twenty-three years and never won a single match.

"Are the Aurochs really this bad?" I asked her but she seemed as shocked as me about their treatment.

"Wakka never told me it was this bad," She admitted. They went off the boat and the attention and shifted to the Luca Goers.

"Well Tidus is a great player, hopefully luck will be with them this time," Yuna smiled and laughed a little to herself. "What is it?"

"Before I started training as a Summoner I used to play Blitzball with Wakka and his brother, Chappu," She told me. "It was always so hard to hold my breath underwater, I couldn't even hold it for a minute," She looked so happy when she was thinking of the memories. "They didn't mind though because I was doing my best. I've always wanted to learn to hold my breath for longer like they could."

"Well once you beat Sin we can do that together," I told her. "It's always better if someone's supporting you, right?" Yuna gave me a nod and a smile but didn't say anything in response. I think she would have if we didn't hear a screeching noise followed by Tidus' voice amplified for all to hear. It was a bit embarrassing, him declaring the Aurochs would win but he got people's attention but it was kind of funny as well. Yuna and I couldn't help but stifle laughs.

Once all the reporters went away everyone started to get off the boat. Grace stayed behind and waited for Lysander, making sure he got off the boat this time, and we headed over to the Aurochs with Tidus getting told off by Wakka. It was kind of funny and it took the attention off the Goers for a bit.

"What in Yevon's name were you thinking?" Wakka asked Tidus, both embarrassed and annoyed.

"It wasn't that bad," I said, trying to make the situation less embarrassing. Yuna nodded in agreement with me.

"Yeah, we got on the sphere," Datto said to his captain. In the background we could hear excitement about a different event going on.

"He's here! Maester Mika's arrived!" Was one thing I managed to make out, the rest just being excitement and the like. Grace was also cheering at Lysander for finally getting off the boat with him just ignoring her. When I looked at Yuna she looked excited about this Maester Mika's appearance. Tidus just didn't know what the fuss was about.

"What's up now?" He asked.

"Maester Mika has arrived, that's what," Yuna's face burst into an excited grin. Me and Tidus were just confused but the title 'Maester' sounded important.

"Maester Mika is the leader of all the peoples in Spira and one of the four leaders of Yevon," Lulu explained. "This year's tournament is being held to honour his fifty years as Maester. He's come all the way from Bevelle for the tournament."

"Shouldn't he be retired by now?" Tidus asked. I was surprised too; fifty years as a Maester and leader sounded like a lot of hard work.

"Let's all go see him," Yuna smiled. Kimahri followed close by her with Lulu. I walked with the Aurochs not far behind, Lysander joining me and Grace jogging up to get to Yuna, Lulu and Kimahri up front. Lysander had a scowl on his face so I decided not to bother him because he was just grumpy.

The Maester's boat was arriving at the next dock down and it was getting really crowded. We had managed to get pretty close to the front of the boat where they'd be getting off. There was lot of people playing the Hymn of the Fayth on instruments while the crowd remained quiet but excited to see the Maester.

At first I thought the young man coming off the boat was Maester Mika. Really stupid because he was a young adult, maybe Lulu or Wakka's age. He was kind of human looking but some of his features were sharper, some elongated, and he had markings across his body. This wasn't even mentioning his blue hair. I couldn't even catch mutterings of people until everyone went silent and the man turned, performing a more complex prayer as an old man got off the boat. Everyone else bowed as well and I quickly bowed by head. Lysander stood perfectly still though.

"People of Spira," The old man said. I figured this was Maester Mika. "I thank you all for your generous welcome. Rise, Maester Seymour and to all of you as well," The man stood and everyone relaxed around them. "I present to you the son of Maester Jyscal Guado, who departed to the Farplane a fortnight past. As some of you already know he has been ordained as a Maester of Yevon. The man turned to face the crowd.

"I am Seymour Guado," He man with a voice that was eerie but calming at the same time. "I am honoured to receive the title of Maester. In life my father worked to foster peace between human and Guado. I vow to carry on his legacy and perform my duties as Maester to the best of my abilities." There was some applause and prayer before the crowds started to disperse as the Maesters were escorted away. There was a really uplifting atmosphere around the place now.

"Hey Yuna, let's go around the city," I said and got the girl out of her thoughts. She beamed and nodded at me. Lulu folded her arms and gave us that look a mother would give their kid.

"Don't wander too far now," She told us. "And stay together." We both nodded and went off, Kimahri coming with us for Yuna's protection.


	16. Christie: Pre-Tournament Events

Pre-Tournament Events

"Hey have you managed to talk with the Psyches yet?" I asked as me and Lysander walked down the street. The tournament was starting in a few hours and I wanted to take another look around the city before the Aurochs went up against the Psyches, which were the Al Bhed Blitz team.

Luca was an amazing city. It was so large and filled with people and happy and bustling. We'd been here for three days, all the teams had arrived and the match-ups had been made and the tournament was starting late morning. Wakka had said if they beat the Psyches then they fight the Goers which would mean if they win two games they would be the champions.

To pass time we all went around the city while Wakka, Tidus and the rest of the Aurochs trained. After the Maesters arrived when we got here Yuna and I went off, exploring the city to our heart's content. We did end up getting lost at times but Kimahri always directed us back, having remembered Luca from when he brought Yuna here ten years ago. Apparently she also ran off then, too.

There were a lot of street vendors promoting the tournament. They had lots of jewellery, toys, balls, clothes and sweeties. Lulu gave me such a disapproving look when me and Yuna came back with two bags of sweets, even though she was glad we were having fun. At night we watched the Aurochs training, sometimes I'd jump into the sphere pool as well although I couldn't hold my breath for long. They'd laugh at me and say they'd train me after the tournament.

A few hours in the morning Grace would get me up to spar with her to improve my fighting. Lysander would sometimes join in too and I think he was a better teacher than Grace. He was trying to get me trained in using his pistols although we kept it between us since Machina was forbidden and he was fine with himself getting in trouble but didn't want me in trouble because of him.

"Not seen any of them," Lysander shrugged. "They're probably training in the Sphere Pool anyway."

"You going to watch the game at all?"

"Fuck no," Was the scoffed reply.

"Oh come on it'll great," I said in a vain attempt to convince him to come. The Aurochs and the Psyches were playing first and if they won they'd play the Goers in the afternoon.

"Blitzballs isn't my thing."

"Then what is? Apart from swearing and shooting things?" He looked so grumpy when I said that. "Please? Even just the Championship?" He gave a shrug and I frowned. "Are you always this grumpy?"

"I actually feel not bad," Was his snarky response. He grinned when I scrunched my face up in annoyance at him. He ruffled my hair and started walking off into town. He'd been going off on his own a lot so I decided today I'd hang around with him until the tournament. "Toxin getting any better?"

"Yeah it's not bad, things are getting a lot clearer I think," I answered. "Can we talk about something else? I feel like that's all we talk about."

"Then what do you want to talk about?" He asked. I pointed to a cafe and he looked at me, his brows furrowed so I smiled sweetly. It really didn't work with him but he took me to the cafe anyway. I sat down at an empty table while he got drinks and cake. I took a few bites while I thought about what I wanted to talk about.

"Do you have any brothers or sisters?" I asked.

"Got an older brother called Michael, not much older he's got about a year on me," Lysander said offhandedly. "Bastard's my best mate, don't get to see him as much as I used to though."

"How come?" He hesitated for a long time and avoided eye contact, looking around the cafe aimlessly. I wasn't really sure why but he didn't go any further with the conversation. The air got awkward and I coughed. "Is your brother with the Al Bhed?"

"No," He said, taking a drink. "He's not on Spira." Not on Spira? What did that mean?

"Is he... dead?"

"Fuck no," Was the gruff reply. "He's in the Gold Coast," The Gold Coast? He sighed at my confusion. "It's in Queensland," Not a clue. "... Australia?" Now that rang a bell with me, if only vaguely. It sounded as strangely familiar as Ireland did and Lysander noticed that and continued to speak. "You remembered something, didn't you?"

"I don't know," I was fed up with his and Grace's constant prodding about me remembering anything.

"Do you remember Ireland at all?" I nodded. Grace also seemed to know about this Ireland place. I thought it was just an island around Spira but I hadn't had the chance to ask anyone about you. Lysander took a glance about to make sure no one overheard us. "Look, you've said that, before you came here, you lived in Zanarkand, right?" Yeah. "But you got hit by Sin's Toxin and you don't remember anything past that, right?" I nodded again. "You remember you dad, brother and sister being alive but not in Zanarkand and you remember Ireland, don't you?"

"And they live in Limerick," I literally had no idea where that suddenly came from. I surprised myself at suddenly knowing that.

"Look, Ireland is on the same world Australia is," Lysander was getting really confusing now and it was a little scary. I was getting a little uncomfortable for me. "Look, you, me, Grace, we're not from Spira. We're from a place called Earth. Earth isn't Spira and we somehow ended up here. I don't know how and I don't know why but it just happened and you got hit by Sin's Toxin and can't remember it but... look I'm not lying and you shouldn't have to bloody struggle trying to remember when people know," I didn't know what to say. I was stunned. "And... sorry I didn't say anything sooner."

I sat completely silent for a good few minutes. He just threw it all at me and I was trying to process it. Maybe he thought it would jump start my memory but he did sound sorry about not saying anything. I just wasn't sure how to feel because it was all just dumped on me. I went back to eating quietly and not talking. Lysander felt just as awkward during the silence but there was every possibility that speaking could make the situation worse.

When I had finished I noticed a man across the room wearing a red coat. He sort of stood out amongst everyone else and I could even hear some mutterings from people.

"You're pissed at me aren't you?" Lysander asked, breaking my focus.

"What? No," I said automatically. He didn't believe me but I was preoccupied. "Who's that?" He turned around on his seat and noticed the man in red.

"Holy shit," He muttered, turning round to me with a glimmer of excitement in his eyes. "That's Sir Auron." Tidus mentioned that Auron looked after him when his dad died. It could be the same one?

"Should we talk to him?" I asked.

"No we'd better find Yuna," Lysander said. "Yuna knew Auron when she was young, she'll want to speak to him." That made sense so I jumped out of my seat and Lysander followed me. We started looking around town for Yuna and the others, since they were taking some time to wander around Luca before the match. Thankfully we found Yuna at a stall with Lulu, Grace and Kimahri.

"Hey what's got you two excited?" Grace asked when we ran up to them. Lulu even gave a small smile as she crossed her arms.

"For once Lysander isn't grumpy," She remarked, making Yuna and me smile. He shook his head briefly and grumbled.

"We just saw Sir Auron in the cafe," Lysander said, ignored Lulu's quip. Yuna seemed genuinely excited and her face lit up. Kimahri remained stoic but Grace and Lulu looked surprised.

"Really?" Yuna asked. "Then he may know about Sir Jecht! We need to tell Tidus!"

"So soon before the game?" Lulu asked.

"It won't take long, I'm sure," I said. "And if it does... well I'm sure Sir Auron will wait until after the match."

"The Aurochs should still be in the locker room," Yuna told us. "If we hurry we can catch them before the game." I nodded and ran with Yuna while the others caught up with us. In the excitement of these events, which I didn't really fully understand, I forgot about the shock of what I had just been told. And that was a good thing.


	17. Lysander: Stolen Summoner

Stolen Summoner

It was just me, Christie, Tidus, Yuna and Kimahri who went to look for Auron and everyone else waited at the Stadium for us to get back as soon as possible. I didn't know exactly what Yuna or Tidus would say to Auron, it just seemed like all they wanted to do was find him and see what happened. Christie seemed just as excited as them to find Auron and was taking the lead in taking us all to the cafe. At least she wasn't moping about what I told her earlier, we didn't really need that. Tidus and Yuna were talking about Zanarkand with Christie chiming in every so often with what she remembered. I didn't doubt she had been in Zanarkand but I didn't know why she had went to Dream Zanarkand while me and Grace ended up in actual Spira.

I was also feeling less easy about being the only one knowing that this place was, well, not real to an extent. Okay yeah it was real to me now but what would Grace or Christie do if they knew that this place was known on Earth but in a different way? I was doing my damn hardest to not let anything slip but I've done it twice now and Grace is getting suspicious. She knows I know something and I'm just glad she didn't see the death glare I gave Seymour or Mika.

The cafe had gotten more busy since we left and it was hard to move around. I pushed around to get to the back and ask if anyone had seen Auron. I was keeping an eye on everyone else, hard to do when the place was crowded, at least Kimahri was easy to see but Christie and Yuna were smaller and harder to keep track of. I could see Tidus easy enough as well.

"Ec dryd fru E drehg ed ec?" I looked around for the person who spoke Al Bhed but couldn't see anyone, getting bumped by a waitress who glared at me for getting in her way so I glared back.

"Fryd tuac ed syddan? Fa haat du yld huf," I looked around the room, in the background hearing two gruff voices that sounded like Ronso, but couldn't see Yuna. I started to head for the door hoping to catch them, pushing past people trying not to make a scene. Well that was until I saw two Al Bhed taking Yuna out of the cafe.

"Rao! Cdub!" I shouted, shoving my way past people with some plates and glasses being knocked over in the process of me getting out. The two Al Bhed were running through the streets with Yuna, hardly anyone taking a second glance for some reason. "Vilgehk eteudc," I grumbled and rushed after them, trying to get their attention long enough to grab Yuna. "Kad pylg rana!" Some people stopped to glance at the suddenness of two Al Bhed running with a young woman who looked to be nearly unconscious. I fell to the ground along with some idiot who just decided to stop the in the middle of the street. "Uid so vilgehk fyo!" I shouted at them, getting up and running after the Al Bhed. We had reached the Stadium and they were heading towards Dock Five. Panic setting I took out my gun and fired a warning shot, making them stop finally. "Femm oui vilgehk cdub nihhehk!" I bellowed, training my gun on them. I wouldn't shoot but I had to keep them in place.

"Oui ghuf dryd fa sicd tu drec," One of them said. I tried to make out who it was but they were Al Bhed I didn't recognise. Yuna looked almost unconscious and didn't understand what we were saying.

"Ran Guardians femm lusa vun ran," I warned, keeping my gun on them. "Oui haat du ryht ran ujan." I would have preferred that Yuna go and be safe but I couldn't let it happen.

"Fa'mm pa nadinhehk du Bikanel fedr dra Summoner," He continued, unphased by my threat. "Fa navica du mad dras luhdehia drec vuum'c annyht. Oui ihtancdyht drec Lysander."

"E ghuf," I groaned. "Pid E lyh'd mad oui dyga ran."

"Drah vummuf ic du dra puyd. Dyga ran pylg ouincamv," They left with Yuna, knowing full well I couldn't follow them onto the boat, back onto water. They just left with her and I let them.

"Fyed!" I yelled to try and stop them again. The silent Al Bhed turned and pressed a button, hundreds of crates crashing down and I only dodged just in time. "Yr vilgehk cred!" I got up, rubbing the huge graze on my elbow from where I hit the ground. "Lihd pycdyntc!" I was sure the other end of the docks had heard me my voice was that loud. It wasn't going to help matters but it helped me feel better for a moment. Still Yuna was taken by the Al Bhed and I couldn't get her back. "Vilg fryd tu E tu?" I shook my head when I realised I was still speaking Al Bhed. I looked around then my eyes turned to the Stadium. "They're going to fucking kill me."

I still ran to the Aurochs locker room. I could hear the announcers saying that everyone should get to their seats because the first match of the Tournament was starting. I had managed to get to the locker rooms just before they left and barged in, catching my breath. They had all gotten a shock but the Aurochs sighed when they realised it wasn't Tidus. Even Lulu and Grace got a shock from my sudden appearance.

"Where are the others?" Lulu asked. Even now I could feel a lecture coming on and I was not in the mood.

"Yeah, where's Tidus, ya?" Wakka asked. The announcers were now saying that the tournament was going to start between the Aurochs and the Psyches. Shit I'm fucked.

"At... the cafe," I breathed, standing straight to explain what had happened.

"You came all the way here to tell us that?" Wakka asked.

"Yeah, that's exactly what I did," I snapped with sarcasm. "Now bloody let me finish talking," Okay they were now saying that Maester Mika was going to say a few words to the teams and were introducing the Goers first. "Yuna's been kidnapped by the Psyches. They said if you want her back you've got to throw the game."

"How do you know this?" Lulu asked.

"Because I ran halfway across Luca chasing after them," I replied shortly.

"And why didn't you try to get her?" The Black Mage continued, clearly angry at my choice to tell them. I was not in the mood to be told off.

"Because they went to their boat, I can't stand water, and they've blocked the shortest route to Dock Four with fucking boxes," I growled. Lulu wasn't impressed with my attitude and opened her mouth to scold me.

"Look we're wasting time here, ya?" Wakka intervened. "How bad a team can they be if they want us to throw the match?" Was actually surprised he was acting mediator. "Look, go get the others and get Yuna, right? We'll worry about the game," He then turned to the Aurochs. "Right boys let's win this match. Let's go!" The Aurochs started to leave for the Maester's speech, leaving me, Lulu and Grace alone.

"Where are the others?" Grace asked.

"Probably still at the cafe," I guessed. "Hopefully they've noticed and are on their way here."

"It shouldn't take too long to reach them, given that the Tournament is beginning soon," Lulu reasoned. Yeah the streets would be pretty much empty and they're not that difficult to spot anyway. "You'll know where they are, lead the way." Ugh I was sick of running across town but I had no choice.

"Right, let's go."

* * *

Al Bhed Translations:

"Is that who I think it is?"

"What does it matter? We need to act now."

"Hey! Stop!" "Fucking idiots," "Get back here!" "Out my fucking way!" "Will you fucking stop running!"

"You know that we must do this."

"Her Guardians will come for her. You need to hand her over."

"We'll be returning to Bikanel with the Summoner. We refuse to let them continue this fool's errand. You understand this Lysander."

"I know. But I can't let you take her."

"Then follow us to the boat. Take her back yourself."

"Wait!" "Ah fucking shit!" "Cunt bastards!" "Fuck what do I do?"


	18. Grace: Rescue

Rescue

"Where in Spira have you been?" Lulu asked Christie, Tidus and Kimahri after Lysander had went into the cafe and gathered them all up outside. They looked panicked and knew that Yuna was missing. "Yuna's been kidnapped by the Al Bhed Psyches."

"Wait what?" Christie asked. "Why would they do that?"

"I don't know why, but they want the Aurochs to lose if we want her back," I explained. "Wakka said he'd take care of them as long as we get Yuna back."

"How bad a team can they be if they want the Aurochs to throw the game?" Tidus asked, a bit disgusted at the Psyches' underhand tactics to win.

"That's precisely what Wakka said," Lulu said. Lysander looked agitated and hand a hand hovering over a gun.

"What's it matter? We're wasting time here," He turned to leave towards the Docks and Stadium. "Their at Dock Four and they've blockaded Dock Five. They'll know we're coming as well so we'd better move now."

Lysander took the lead running us to the Docks. I had the feeling that, if we had to go on the Al Bhed boat to get Yuna, he wouldn't be joining us further than the Docks. He rook us round to Dock One and took out his gun before we heard some people screaming and running in the opposite direction. I grabbed some orbs out my pocket and tossed them at the moving Machina, shocking it and making it collapse.

"What are those?" Tidus asked.

"Machina the Al Bhed salvaged," Lysander answered, firing a bullet into another Machina while another was coming round the corner and he fired at that a couple of times. One came up close to Christie and she gave it a kick before Lulu blasted it with a Thunder spell. Kimahri lanced another one and we ran around to Dock Two, getting halted again by Machina.

"How many have they got?" I asked before leaping over one and impaling a machine and Kimahri hit it and caused it to malfunction. Tidus ran to the back and started to hack at any Machina coming towards us and Christie followed, punching a Machina then kicking it back. Lysander was busy shooting the further away Machina that he didn't see one charging towards him. It just missed being hit my a Thunder spell and it stabbed Lysander in his calf and his immediate reaction was to shoot its arm off and a spell from Lulu destroyed it.

"Just keep going I'll catch up," He told us and crouched down to try and pull the Machina blade out. The others went ahead but I stayed behind which he wasn't happy with. "I'm fine go get Yuna."

"Do you have anything to heal yourself with?" I asked. He grumbled an answer which I took as a no. "Come on, sit down," He complied and put his back against the wall. "Right hold your leg and I'll pull it out." Again he did what I asked and I tried to get a good grip of the blade, wanting him to brace himself for the pain.

"For fuck's sake just pull the bloody thing out," He groaned. I shrugged and grabbed the blade, yanking it out quickly and making him yell. "Ah shit fucking cunt bastard!" I tossed the blade aside and went into my pouch for Potions. "Mate it's fine just leave it."

"I know what I'm doing," I sighed, dampening a bit of cloth with Potion and pressing it on his shin. He wasn't going to let me get at the wound properly because he was just being stubborn. At least he was putting pressure on his calf since the blade went all the way through. "Can't believe that went clean through."

"Lucky it did," Lysander grumbled. While he kept a straight face I knew he was in pain so I held one of his hands and caused him to raise an eyebrow. I shrugged and kept holding it and he seemed to relax a little. "It should be fine if I just bandage it then get Yuna to heal it if you've not got anything."

"I could make something but it'll take a while," I said. "I'll make something for it before the day's done if you haven't seen Yuna about it," We looked up at a screen with the match playing. The Aurochs and Psyches were at two-all and Wakka was taking a beating. "This isn't looking good."

"He'll be fine," Lysander told me, taking his hand away and bending his leg and removing his boot, wrapping the cloth around it before putting his boot back on. He stared at his wound for a while before looking back to the screen. The Aurochs were starting to play defensively. They did a pretty good job at not letting the Psyches score any more points. "I told Christie she's from Earth, you know." I sharply turned my head to him, my eyes going a little wider out of his sudden confession. Although he was probably telling me to stop me yelling at him when Christie asked questions.

"Why?" Was all I managed to get out.

"Well if she eventually figured it out herself I'd imagine she'd be pretty fucking pissed that we knew and didn't tell her anything," He had a point. Still what if she didn't believe him? "What if it was you who got the Toxin? Wouldn't you want to be told?"

"She's just a kid-" I started before Lysander narrowed his eyes at me and snapped.

"She handled it pretty fucking well for a kid," He said. "She's just a kid and she's fighting Machina to save Yuna. Yuna's a kid and she's willing to die for this Spira. In this place it doesn't give a shit if you're a kid or not."

"And how would you know that from just over six months of being here?" I asked.

"If you spent six months with the Al Bhed you'd think the same," He retorted. There wasn't anything I could really do. He'd told Christie even though I thought it would be better for her to find out on her own in case she freaked out and ran and we needed to stay together. We never really made a formal agreement about it so I suppose Lysander felt perfectly justified in telling Christie what he did.

* * *

The Aurochs won the match by one point and the others had managed to save Yuna from the ship. Lysander left before I met up with Yuna, saying he'd just wander around town until the match was over. Thankfully Yuna was unharmed and she felt best to apologise to the Aurochs before they fought the Goers. Wakka told her to keep away from Al Bhed because they were trouble, making Tidus and Christie shift oddly. They must of found out. I learned by accident when asking why Yuna had a blue and a green eye. Wakka didn't know at all, which was for the best because of his anger towards the Al Bhed.

The match with the Goers wasn't until the mid-afternoon so we all managed to get some food and hang around some vendors until it was time to get our seats. It was fairly empty for a while since we got there early but it wasn't long until people started arriving, the vast majority being Goer fans, eager to see the Aurochs get beaten.

"Christie," I said, getting the girls attention away from the Sphere Pool. "Lysander told me he told you that you're from Earth?"

"He said you and him were too," She replied. I nodded, not knowing that bit. "Are you?"

"Of course we are," I said. "Are you okay? I know with you're still trying to figure things out from the Toxin and this is probably really confusing for you."

"I'm not five," Christie said with a furrowed brow. "Lysander's not a liar, he must have meant what he said. You don't need act like my mum about it."

"It is a lot to take in though," I said.

"Yeah it is," She agreed. "But you and Lysander are from the same place. I was confused before but what Lysander said actually made things make a bit more sense. I won't really know everything until the Toxin's cleared though." I nodded but still worried over her. I barely noticed Lysander arriving, walking past us to Yuna.

"Yuna?" The Summoner looked at him with a small smile on her face while he looked a bit embarrassed and uncomfortable. "Look I... I'm sorry about not saving you from the Al Bhed sooner than I should've. I... yeah... sorry."

"It's okay," Yuna smiled. "You didn't just leave me. You got everyone to come for me, after all," He nodded but he didn't look any less embarrassed. "Um, if it's not too much to ask but... Tidus and Christie said you were on the ship with them," Lysander nodded. "Was there a man called Cid on that ship?"

"No," Was the firm answer. "Just his kids, Brother and Rikku," Yuna seemed genuinely surprised at the word 'kids'. "You didn't know?" Yuna shook her head, still surprised. "Don't worry, no one got hurt. The worse thing that happened is that me, Christie and Tidus ended up on Besaid." Now how was so sure of that? He said it as though he believed it. I thought he was just trying to comfort Yuna.

I moved over a little to allow Lysander to sit with us. Yuna looked as though she wanted to ask him more questions. He looked uncomfortable but sat with us anyway.

"How's the leg?" I asked.

"Not bad."

"It'll be over before you know it," I whispered comfortingly. He looked around, eventually seeing the place where the Maesters were sitting. "What's up?" He said nothing, focusing on them until Yuna asked a question about Cid's kids.


	19. Christie: Attack on the Stadium

Attack on the Stadium

We won! The Aurochs won the Championship by a point! We actually did it I can't believe it! The whole stadium was going insane with cheering it was amazing. They had even cheered for Wakka to come back for the last part of the match. I think a lot of people just couldn't believe that what they had seen had really just happened but we won and Besaid got the Crystal Cup.

Only... something happened. Not long after the Aurochs won the game, fiends started to pour into the Stadium. I just heard the cheers dissolving into screams and panic as people started to run towards the exits to escape. A wolf charged towards us only to be killed my Kimahri.

"The actual fuck?" Lysander exclaimed, pulling out a gun and firing at a bird fiend combined with a Fire spell from Lulu. Grace was in front of Yuna, glancing around her to make sure no fiends ambushed her or attacked Yuna. I looked into the Sphere Pool; Tidus and Wakka were battling fiends as the other players escaped the area.

Another wolf was running towards us and before Lysander shot it I raised my leg and gave it a kick back and punched it while it was down.

"Christie!" Grace and Yuna shouted as a large bird fiend swooped down and grabbed me by the arm, flying me up into the air with it. I heard crackles of lightning and gun shots hitting the fiends wings and claws so it could drop me. It screeched really loudly and let me go but I landed in the higher up seats and hit the stone hard, my arms all cut up and bruised from the fiend's claws and the landing.

I got up and looked around to find the others. We had quite low down seats in the Stadium and I was flown up quite high. I'd lost all sense of direction so I wasn't sure where anyone was. My safest bet would be to follow the panicked people and get out as soon as I could and wait for the others where it was safe.

There was just so much panic. People were pushing and shoving each other out the way to escape the fiends and the screaming and crying was getting too much. I felt so helpless and all I wanted to do was make sure everyone escaped and got out unharmed but I was too injured to do anything. My arms were too sore to move if a fiend came at me so I knew I'd have to rely on kicks for now until I could drink a Potion or get something or someone to heal me.

There were stairs not far from where I was but the amount of people meant it took a long time for me to get there. Even when I did I was constantly getting pushed further back. I started to hear barking behind me and spun around, seeing what was coming.

"Get out the way!" I yelled, kicking the wolf and stomping down on it before it lunged at a guy. Another one leapt on me but I managed to throw it off before it bit into me to hard. I still wasn't strong enough to take them all out myself and they backed me up against the railing. There were four of them and I noticed another bird fiend flying around nearby. I just knew it wasn't going to end well for me. My flight instinct kicked in nd I leapt off the railing, escaping the wolves but falling a fair distance which, strangely enough, didn't end in me hitting the ground. Instead someone had caught me.

I looked up at the person who had caught me. He was an adult, middled-aged I guessed, pale with short, bright red hair and really freaky yellow eyes. He wore a black and silver robe and had a scythe on the ground beside him. He put me down and handed me a bright, shimmering green liquid in a bottle.

"Drink this and keep behind me," He ordered in a strange accent, picking up the scythe and getting into a battle stance. He was really tall and carried the large weapon with ease. He seemed to just radiate amazing strength. Glanced at me he frowned. "You need to drink it; you're injured. Hurry." He sounded like an impatient parent. Not to annoy him further I drank the liquid, not even registering the taste of it, feeling almost instantly better. When I got behind him I noticed several more fiends entering the Stadium. When some wolves and drakes charged at us I got into stance but the man held his free hand out in front of me and raised his scythe, cutting down the fiends in one blow.

Honestly, the sheer power intimidated me a little. I hadn't ever seen any person wield power on that scale.

"Follow me," He said, sounding a little softer now that the area was clear. "Keep close to me and you'll be safe," I followed him across the walkways of the Stadium, scouting around for any fiends that may be around. "My name is Oblivion Thorium Furanio. I apologise that this is not the greatest time or place for introductions."

"Christie Wilson," I greeted back nervously. "I need to get out of the Stadium and find my friends. Do you know what's going on?" Oblivion stopped abruptly, looking down at the lower levels of the Stadium. I noticed what he was looking at; a girl fighting off fiends but heavily wounded. Again my protective instincts kicked in. "How are we going to get down there in time?"

As if on cue, I heard a painful, piercing roar echoing across the Stadium. There, where the Maesters had sat, was a huge creature, bound tightly in chains and bandages and looked emaciated. It was a horrifying creature to see but, at the same time, it radiated so much pain and heartache that I couldn't help but feel pity for it. I could feel its pain somehow. I looked to Oblivion, who didn't seemed affected by the hurt the creature displayed as it started to swiftly destroy every fiend within the Stadium.

"I must return to the Maesters and ensure they are safe," Oblivion said. "Christie, might I ask you a favour?" I nodded, still in shock at the creature's power. "Go to the girl down there and help her. If you can help one person here today, help her," He looked down at me with those intimidating yellow eyes even though he gave a comforting smile. "We will meet again. Keep safe, Ms. Wilson." I turned to see the girl just narrowly getting out of the way of the creature's blast that killed the fiends around her, but she was still injured.

I climbed over the ledge and held onto it, dropping down easily but it was still a high height and I hurt my legs a little. Ignoring it I started to run around the Stadium, doing the same thin again when I was closer to her location. I dropped down a few metres from her and ran up to her as she leant against a wall. There were still fiends in the Stadium as the creature continued to decimate them and one drake was coming towards us and as it got closer and raised and fist and punched it straight in the jaw before it got any closer to us. I then grabbed the girl's arm as she was registering what had happened.

"We need to go, come on," I told her, taking her to the nearest exit. We pushed past people when we were out of the stalls and headed towards the exit. "We need to find my friends, they'll heal you."

"I need to go to the Docks," The girl said suddenly. "Just take me to Dock Three, please." I looked at her. She didn't look much older than me. She must have been looking for someone and maybe Dock Three was their meeting point. I nodded in agreement and got past the crowds to take her to Dock Three.

* * *

It was really quiet when we got to the Docks. It was expected because so many people were wanting to get away from the Stadium as the Crusaders conducted an investigation to make sure all the fiends were gone. The girl was looking around the docks and walking impatiently.

"Maybe we should find my friends. They can heal you," I said to her. She looked at her bite on her arm and took off her jacket. She held her hand over her arm and a light orange glow appeared, healing the bite instantly. "You're a White Mage?" I asked, surprised that she didn't do it earlier.

"No, I've always been able to do it," She said and put her jacket back on. She was around my height and fair skinned. She had brown eyes and her dark red hair was put up in a ponytail. She wore a brown dress with pale blue netted fabric starting halfway down her thighs and ending at her knees, tall brown boots and her short, long sleeved burgandy jacket. She looked around the Dock idly for a moment before facing me. "You don't need to stay with me."

"I'd rather not leave you alone," I said.

"I can take care of myself," She replied. "But I do appreciate you helping me back there."

"I'm Christie," I told her, realising we hadn't introduced one another yet.

"Angel," She said briefly. She continued looking around the Dock with a frown on her face.

"Who are you looking for? Maybe they're at the front of the Stadium?"

"It's fine, I'm sure they'll be here," She was oddly adamant about staying here but I thought she was just nervous about being separated from her friend, whoever that was.

"Christie!" I turned to Grace and Lysander as they arrived at the Dock. Grace ran up to me and gave me a huge hug out of relief. "Are you okay? We couldn't find you after Seymour's Aeon cleared the Stadium. We thought something had happened."

"I'm fine, a bit roughed up though but I'm okay," I admitted. So that creature was an Aeon? Didn't look like any other Aeon I'd seen before. I noticed Lysander looking at Angel and she was staring back at him with an emotionless stare that he wasn't phased by. "This is Angel, I helped her out the Stadium. Angel, this is Grace and Lysander. They're my friends."

"Hello," She said. Lysander gave a short nod and Grace waved a little.

"Yuna and the others are waiting at the square. Yuna wants to leave for the Highroad as soon as everyone's ready," Lysander said. I looked at Angel, who's eyes seemed to ignite with curiosity.

"You're going to the Highroad?" She asked. "Are you Guardians by any chance?"

"Fuck no," Lysander almost laughed at the question before Grace elbowed him in the side. "Well, she is. Me and Christie aren't."

"There is... something I have to do, on the road," Angel explained awkwardly, as though she couldn't find the right words to express it. "Could I come with you? Please I won't interfere with the Pilgrimage, I won't be a Guardian. There's just something I have to do and as soon as it's done I'll go. I stay in Bevelle and what I need to do will be done by then, I promise."

"What about your friend?" I asked curiously. She looked caught off guard for a moment before composing herself.

"I can send a message to him; he knows what I have to do," She answered. "He'll be in Bevelle and he'll understand. Just please, I need to do this."

"Look we don't have time for this," Lysander said. "Let's just get going."

"Please I have to come with you," Angel pleaded. Lysander pulled Grace a few metres away and they started talking in hushed whispers. Angel turned to me. "Please, you need to convince them, please." I was stuck between the two. I didn't know what she wanted or what she was planning but on the other hand I didn't want to leave her by herself. I sighed and walked to Grace and Lysander.

"Look what if she's stuck like us?" I heard Grace say before she noticed me. Lysander noticed me but didn't seem to care about keeping the conversation hushed.

"We've been trying to find a reason to keep me and Christie sticking around, what are they going to think when we bring her into it?" Lysander asked as Grace rolled her eyes. "Look you think I'm being bitchy I'm just trying to point out the fucking obvious here. How are we going to bring her along when we can't even think of a reason to keep ourselves about?"

"I'm not saying we should take her with us but the kid's like, what? Thirteen? Fourteen? That's like leaving Christie on her own," Grace countered.

"She should come with us," I said, getting them to look at me. "I don't think it's a good idea to leave her alone here." Lysander sighed and folded his arms while Grace looked more sympathetic. "It might be a good idea and it might be a bad one but we can't just leave her on her own."

"Well it ain't my fucking choice," Lysander scoffed. "It's up to Yuna and the Guardians really. I don't like it but fine, if you're both going to be so bloody adamant about it."

"Lysander, why don't you go meet up with the others?" Grace asked in a soothing tone. It didn't calm or aggravate him but he complied and went off. Maybe being away from the water would calm him down. She then looked over to Angel, who stood in the same place. "I'll talk to the other Guardians about this, but I'm sure it'll be okay." Angel smiled in thanks and she joined us as we followed Lysander back to the main party.


	20. Grace: Continuing The Pilgrimage

Continuing the Pilgrimage

"Grace, you can't make promises you won't be able to keep," Lulu chastised. We were on the outskirts of Luca, where it joined onto the Mi'ihen Highroad and overlooked the city itself. It was late afternoon and we weren't going to clear the whole Highroad in one day. Well you couldn't without the help of Chocobos anyway and the party was so big it would have been really expensive even for a Summoner's party. The training would be good either way.

"She's on her own and she's okay with not becoming a Guardian," I felt like a total idiot at the moment, mostly because of my own stupidity. I said I would sort something out for Lysander and Christie so they wouldn't interfere with the Pilgrimage but were safe, something I've still not figured out, and now I was trying to explain that a girl we just met wanted to join us and it was only complicating matters. The only thing that had changed was that Sir Auron had joined us and Tidus was now a Guardian but that didn't make my situation any better.

"Grace I know you just want to help," Wakka said. "I'm all for the more the merrier but you kind of put is in a bad position, ya?"

"Look I don't know how it'll work out either," I said, silently glad that I'd be going to the Operation soon so I wouldn't have to defend myself with weak arguments. "I know it's really up to Yuna if the three of them stay so I can only wait for her to decide," Lulu sighed at what I said and I looked at her. "I'm just trying to look out for them, okay?"

"Don't you think you're being a little overprotective?"

"A bit pot-kettle-black, don't you think?" I responded, getting more annoyed as the conversation went on. Again, I had to be an idiot and not think this all through and was going by gut instinct. "I know I've got nothing apart from... a feeling, that they should stay with us. That's it. I know that it's a shitty argument but that's all I've got." Lulu sighed at me and folded her arms as we waited for Yuna to come over after speaking to Christie. We were all wondering if they'd start to burst out laughing like Yuna and Tidus had earlier.

"Everyone, I've decided to make Christie my Guardian also," She said with Christie beside her. That was awfully convenient.

"Are you certain?" Lulu asked.

"I am," Yuna answered. "I know she and Tidus haven't fought for as long as we have but I know they'll make good Guardians."

"What about Lysander and this Angel girl?" Wakka asked. Yuna turned her head to look at the two in question. Lysander was sitting on the stone wall of the outlook, staring out at Luca, while Angel was standing off to one side on her own, waiting for a result to come through. I also noticed Christie heading off toward Auron to talk to him.

"Lysander has helped us in the past," Yuna said. "And I'm sure Angel will help too."

"So they're staying?" I asked a little hopefully.

"If Angel says she will travel as far as Bevelle, I don't see any reason to leave her on her own," Yuna smiled. I stood up and gave the girl a huge hug in thanks. I was just glad that everyone was sticking around so we wouldn't lose each other. Now with that problem over all we needed to do was figure out why we were brought here and if Angel was also brought here. She does have a really soft American accent though it's General American so that doesn't help me pinpoint where she's from. After hugging Yuna I went over to Lysander and Angel followed, knowing I was going to announce the arrangements.

"Guess what? You're staying," I smiled at the two of them. Angel smiled while Lysander gave a nod. He was a really serious guy. "Hey lighten up grumps it's what you wanted, right?"

"Well yeah," He shrugged. "So what's the plan? How far do you think we'll get in the road before we have to stop?" I pondered for a moment and turned to the steps before turning back to Lysander and Angel.

"You know I'm not sure, it's really long," I admitted. "If we can get a quarter of the way before nightfall I'd say we're making good process," Angel gave a nod. "There's only one thing though." Angel looked confused but Lysander knew what I was going to say.

"Crusaders?"

"Yeah, if we meet any Crusaders along the road I'll have to leave with them," I explained for Angel's sake. "So, Sandy, take care of the girls while I'm gone, 'kay?"

"You're coming back," I know he didn't want me to go. No one in the group did, especially Wakka, but I'd made my choice a long time ago. I noticed the worry on his face, something I don't think I'd ever seen before when it didn't concern water. Before I could ask him Christie appeared in the group, telling us that the we were heading off.

* * *

The Highroad was such a change from Luca. It was all fields and ruins and a long pathway that lead all the way to the Djose Highroad that had the Mushroom Rocks and that's where I'd be going to fight Sin with the Crusaders. I wouldn't really be fighting I'd be with Gatta at the barracks ensuring everyone was ready to take their orders. Neither of us were really happy; we both wanted to fight against Sin. Luzzu told us we were too inexperienced to fight on the front lines and that I had to protect Yuna after the battle. Still I wanted to fight and so did Gatta.

I had been kind of getting frustrated at the group sometimes and I hadn't told anyone about it. I know they were looking out for me but I chose to do this, just like Yuna chose to become a Summoner. They just wanted me to stay as a Guardian. Wakka was the most vocal about it because of Chappu and I could understand that but I wanted to do this, to repay the Crusaders for saving my life. We wanted Sin gone and we were trying to do that and if I could then Yuna won't have to die.

"Okay, just push yourself forward, I'll grab your legs so you won't fall."

Christie was building her confidence up a lot in fights but Lysander really could only teach her how to throw kicks and punches. She'd asked me how to pull off some of the moves I use in fights. I said I'd try but a lot of the moves need a lot of practice. I didn't really fight a lot, I was more evasive because my dancing gave me a lot of stamina and used my spear like a baton but with more force. All Christie could do were slightly crooked forward rolls, back rolls and cartwheels and was now trying to prepare herself for performing an assisted handstand.

"Sweetie you're not gonna fall," I assured her. "You won't hit me in the face either, give it a go," She nodded and breathed in, bracing herself. She raised her hands over her head and swung her body down, lifting her lower body up and I held her ankles as she stood upside down. She gasped in surprise at the new angle but I kept her steady. "You're doing good, just stay like this," I wasn't a great teacher but if she could get somewhere with what I was telling her then I've done a good job. "Okay, I'm going to let go but if you wobble I'll catch you okay?" I let go quickly and watch her arms shake and I grabbed her ankles again but not before she lost balance and landed on her elbows. "Christie you okay?" I lowered her body down carefully and she sat on her knees, rubbing her scraped elbows.

"I'm okay," She told me as I took out a Potion vial and she rubbed it on her scratches. "You make it look so easy."

"I've been doing it since I could walk," I smiled. "Sorry I've never been good at teaching people. It'd be a big help though."

"How?" Christie asked.

"Because after I retire from my dancing career I'm probably going to end up teaching the next group of dancers what I know," I smiled before sighing. "Well that was my plan anyway."

"You're a great dancer, you'll definitely be the famous," I remembered being her age and thinking that but it wasn't easy, especially because it was so damn competitive. Damn I sound old. "I don't know what I want to be when I'm older. I just know I want a family."

"Really?" I was curious. I'd never really thought about getting married and having kids a lot. I wanted to after retiring from dancing or near the end of it but the dancing came first.

"Yeah," She nodded. "I really want a big family, I've just always known that I wanted to be a mum. My brother used to say I was always really good with babies and younger kids. I was a monitor when I was in Primary Seven, that's like when the older kids supervise the younger kids at playtime and lunch when it's raining, and I always wanted the Primary Ones and Twos. The teachers said I was good at stopping them from fighting," She paused, realising what she said and burst into a smile. "Grace I remembered something about my past!"

"That's fantastic," I smiled with her. It was good she was remembering. Lysander was right to tell her about Earth, then.

"That's... that's all I can remember though," Her smile faded and I reached over and rubbed her shoulder.

"Hey don't force it. At this rate you'll remember in no time," She felt better at the assurance. She still looked as though she had something on her mind. "What's up?

"Well I was talking to Auron earlier," Christie said. "And I was asking him about a Summoner who was a Guardian to Braska before going on her own Pilgrimage. Her name was Siren and a woman in Kilika said I looked like her. Auron said he hadn't seen her, Pyre or Karma for ten years but..." She rubbed the back of her head. "He did mention you resembled Pyre." I took a moment to think. I hadn't really thought about Pyre since the weird memory I had on the boat to Luca. I guess now that there was no need to worry about keeping everyone together so maybe it'd be a good idea to find out about Pyre, Siren and Karma. Christie seemed interested in finding out about it. Maybe it was coincidence that we looked similar? Probably but that doesn't really explain the memory bit.

"That's weird," I eventually said. "But don't worry about it, just focus on clearing the Toxin before you start looking into this so it doesn't confuse you," Christie nodded and I got up. "Right, let's try the handstand again before our watch is over."


	21. Lysander: Differing Opinions

Differing Opinions

We'd cleared a really good stretch of the Highroad now and it was just past midday. Lulu and Wakka said there was still a long way to go yet but we were making good progress. One of the best things about the entire trip was seeing Auron pretty much decimate everything in our way. They weren't lying about the Legendary part of him, the guy was something else. Okay, yeah he _was_ something else but none of us were meant to know that.

He was a man of few words and no matter how much Christie talked he'd give very small answers or chuckles. Well he's all about people finding their own answers and the whole 'look not to others for knowledge' bit. Still I heard him mentioning to Christie about other Guardians he knew and that was something I didn't know about. As far as I knew Braska only had Jecht and Auron as his Guardians but there was now a Pyre, Siren and Karma to think about. Actually now that I thought about it the name Karma sounded familiar.

We were taking a small rest just off the main road at the moment and I had climbed onto some old ruins to see how much longer it would take before we got to Rin's shop. By the looks of it we had a long way to go. I looked down at the group to see what everyone was doing. Kimahri was with Yuna, as usual, as she was talking to Tidus, I guess it was about Zanarkand. Lulu, Wakka, Grace and Auron were in a group talking about something while each of them took a glance about in search for fiends. I wasn't sure what they were talking about I guess it was the Pilgrimage route or something. Off on a rock Christie and Angel were talking but Christie was the one carrying the conversation.

I'm sure Angel was only slightly younger than Christie and there was something about her that made me feel not pleasant, I guess unsettled was the best word for it, maybe on edge or something. A girl her age would could fling fire spells and wield a sword that good wasn't right but she blended in well because there were so many orphans who had to defend themselves because of Sin. Grace had the feeling that Angel was from Earth like us but I wasn't getting that impression for the reason she could fight so well. Me and Grace had excuses: there's shooting ranges near where I live and Grace has been dancing since she could walk. We've got experience in the things we fight with or have a style set. Christie hasn't got a clue but Angel can fight as well as she can? I really did think something was up.

I took the silver orb out of my pocket and took a look at it. It was really bugging me that I couldn't figure out what it was for or if it was even useful. Grace kept talking about things we had to do now that we were definitely sticking together but she was thinking of too many things at once and it was getting annoying. We could do this, we could do that, I just want to know why we had to get brought into this and how to get home. I don't care about this Siren, Pyre, Karma stuff or what Angel wanted or the red head with the Maesters or this damn stupid orb.

Okay, maybe they bugged me a little, but not enough to make me start investigating them. I just wanted to get through this and get home. I wonder what was going on back home? I hoped my mum wasn't getting too worried.

I looked ahead of the path and noticed Chocobos that were being ridden. There were three of them and they were coming our way. It looked like a patrol and they had noticed us and started to come towards our group, Grace in particular. I stayed up top while they talked for a while, saluting each other before parting ways. I dropped down the ruins when I saw that we were setting up to leave.

"Hey who was that?" I asked, faking ignorance like I'd done the whole damn trip.

"Those were Crusaders, Chocobo Knights to be exact," Grace said. "They're patrolling the Highroad and they were letting us know that there's a fiend that eats Chocobos running about. So Tidus had the great idea of going after it." Tidus rubbed the back of his head, a bit embarrassed.

"Well we could take it on."

"With you on that one mate," I nodded. Christie smiled a little in agreement while Angel's face remained unreadable.

"They were also saying that Grace will need to leave for the Mushroom Rock Road tomorrow," Yuna added, which put a heavy atmosphere into the air.

"The Crusaders are gathering for the Operation," Grace said sheepishly. "It means I probably won't be able to rejoin the Pilgrimage until the entire Operation is over and I don't know how long it'll take." She'll be fine, she won't die, she can't. At least that's what I keep telling myself. A lot of people will die but she won't be one of them. I don't know how she'll take it though, once the Operation's over. Or Christie for that matter. At least I know what happens and I can be ready for it. I don't have any emotional attachments to any of them. None of them but Grace. She was becoming a friend and having her at the Operation...

"It'll all be fine," I said, knowing it was a complete lie. Grace smiled at me before we all started walking up the Highroad. I noticed Yuna's face was kind of sad but she quickly hid it. She didn't want Grace to do this and everyone knew that. She was the same with Luzzu and Gatta.

Further down the road we noticed more Crusaders. Grace wasn't familiar with any of them, apart from Luzzu and Gatta, but she was saluting them anyway. They were walking with a huge carriage that contained something very angry. We didn't question it and Grace didn't have any idea herself but we did hear a Crusader arguing with someone and winning.

"We'll defeat Sin any way we can!"

"But Yevon's teachings say-"

"That's enough," The Crusader said, utterly exasperated with the girl he was talking to. He had enough and just walked away from her with the last word.

"I... I only meant to..." The girl said, looking down at the ground. She was really upset and Yuna approached her with concern.

"Are you all right?" She asked. The girl looked at her and gasped, recognising her.

"M'Lady Summoner," She bowed and Yuna returned the greeting. I folded my arms and looked away, knowing where this was going. "I am Shelinda, I'm a disciple of Yevon. I'm honoured to make your acquaintance."

"My name is Yuna," Yuna smiled.

"What was that all about? The Crusader Operation?" Wakka asked. Grace was rubbing her shoulder and looking off into the fields. I think she knew she was going to be drawn into this at any moment.

"I heard they were going to use forbidden Machina," Shelinda said. Some of the group looked at Grace, who avoided eye contact. "I had to stop them."

"You knew about this?" Wakka said.

"Why were you trying to stop them?" Tidus asked, completely confused at the conversation already. Christie was the same but didn't want to say anything.

"A lot of Machina's banned by Yevon," Grace explained. "That's why all the Crusaders have been excommunicated; because the Operation uses a lot of forbidden Machina," She looked to Shelinda and I knew she was going to go to the Crusader's defence. "But we're not using them for war, we're using them to stop Sin. We're doing it for the right reasons."

"Let them use what they want," Auron voiced. "They still won't defeat Sin." Grace looked annoyed at Auron's observation but he was right. It would take a lot more to stop it.

"But it's not about defeating Sin!" Shelinda objected. "The Teaching of Yevon must be upheld!"

"Yeah, that's right," Wakka agreed.

"But if there's a chance, wouldn't you take it?" Grace asked. "If there's a chance this could defeat Sin, then we should try, shouldn't we? It's not a pointless cause and we need to do everything we can to stop Sin!"

"But the Teachings say that Sin will be gone with complete atonement, Grace," Wakka said. "And that the Summoners are the only ones who can beat Sin, ya? The Machina's forbidden for a reason and it's important we keep the Teachings upheld." Grace was getting more frustrated at the argument because they wouldn't understand.

"Look if you want to believe in Yevon and all, that's fine, you do that," She said. "But we're trying to stop Sin, and if it means breaking the rules then I'll do that. I'll do that knowing I tried everything I could to stop Sin." I noticed Wakka's face turning a bit pissed. They must have butted heads over this a lot. I decided to step in with what I thought.

"I don't get it," All participants in the argument looked at me. "So you're saying the Teaching should be upheld and the Operation abolished, right?" Shelinda nodded and was about to speak but I cut her off. "That's pretty selfish on your part. I mean I thought it was anything goes when defeating Sin. I really thought it didn't matter what killed Sin permanently, as long as it was dead, right? You want Sin gone, I want Sin gone, everyone on bloody Spira wants Sin gone so it shouldn't matter what we do to stop it. You think a religion and its rules are more important than destroying something that's causing pain to hundreds of thousands of people? Fine, do that, but you're being selfish in stopping a possibility of Sin being gone for good." I left the scene to avoid getting my head cut off. I'd deal with that later when I had better comebacks. A couple of yards up the road and I noticed Grace was chasing after me.

"Hey wait up Sandy," I turned around, not expecting a telling off from her. I was on her side after all and she looked really pleased. "Thanks for that. It's nice to hear someone support what the Crusaders are doing for once."

"Don't mention it, mate," I said. "I'll probably get my head torn off later about it," Grace gave a short laugh and smiled. "Just don't listen to them. You're doing the right thing," It was true, we had to think outside the box to stop Sin and the Crusaders were the first to do that. Still there was that bad feeling that I knew what would happen. "Listen, Grace?"

"Yeah?" I really wanted to tell her that the Operation wouldn't work, but every time the mission was brought up she defended it and was determined to see it through. Plus it would make her mad that I wanted to tell her not to do it. She wanted to help so badly. I didn't want her to be distraught at seeing it all go to waste. Fuck why did I care so damn much? "Sandy? You were talking?"

"Just come back quick," I told her. I just couldn't tell her without having to explain everything. It was too complicated. At least I knew she wouldn't die. We were part of Yuna's Pilgrimage. We couldn't die.


	22. Christie: Investigating

Investigating

We'd walked for the full day and I wasn't used to it. I thought Kilika and Besaid were pretty long walks but wow I didn't realise how long the Highroad was. Lulu had given me and Tidus a map of Spira to show how long the journey would be to Zanarkand. We'd not even cleared a quarter. Honestly my legs were killing me and my feet were ready to fall off. To make it worse I was the only one feeling it because everyone else seemed to be used to walking or exerting themselves for long amounts of time. I thought Tidus could sympathise with me but he's a Blitzball player so he's used to a lot of exercise.

I wasn't sure if it was because it was getting late or Auron was taking pity on, probably the first one, that he suggested we rest at an inn that was just past the halfway point of the Highroad.

"We rest here," Was what the veteran Guardian said. I was about to collapse in happiness at the words.

"Oh thank you!" I exclaimed, wanting to fall to my knees despite knowing I'd never move again if I did.

"But this is an Al Bhed shop," Wakka protested. I looked at him desperately. He wasn't really wanting to go further just so he didn't have to rest at an Al Bhed inn, was he?

"Is that a problem?" Auron asked before I could hit whiny complaining teenager mode.

"They don't believe in Yevon," Wakka started. Really is _that_ why? "And in Luca they kidnapped Yuna."

"Where were her Guardians?" Auron returned without skipping a beat. That really hit Wakka's pride.

"Um, there are at least three people here who don't believe in Yevon, Wakka, and one who's been excommunicated," Grace brought up, pointing to herself, Lysander and me. "Besides if the Al Bhed have a shop here, and it's been here for a long time, Yevon are okay with it, right?"

"I just want to sit down can we please go inside?" I whined.

"Sir Auron's just concerned about your health," Yuna tried to reason with the man, who seemed intent on acting stubborn.

"I'm not tired one bit!"

"Well I am," And with that Auron went inside. Lysander gave a shrug as he watched the Guardian go in.

"Troubles you that much, Wakka, sleep outside," He said before walking over to me. "Right, your legs are dead, come on." Lysander made me laugh and picked me up, carrying me into the inn with everyone else.

"Hey thanks for making me look completely useless," I said.

"So you're telling me you could have got in here yourself?" He teased. He put me down onto a couch and I had never felt so relieved to be on a seat in my entire life I thought I was never going to move from it ever. "You're going to dead tomorrow."

"Not looking forward to it..." I whined. I could feel my feet throbbing from the walking. At this point I never wanted to move again. "I hope I get used to this soon..." I was still really sore from yesterday's walking and today's walking was not helping me at all. I'd be glad if we spent a full day here.

"Hopefully before Gagazet anyway," Lysander smirked. Oh crap the bloody mountain. I looked at him and he looked as if he'd burst out laughing. He's such a mean person. I was going to beat him up if I wasn't as sore as I was.

"You're horrible."

"Yeah I know," He shrugged. He was such a pain at times and he did it on purpose, I know he did. I noticed Yuna walk up to him and ask if she could talk to him, probably about the slagging off Yevon thing he did, and they went off to the side privately. He was pretty clever in his digs at Yevon but they were still kind of below the belt and uncalled for. Even when he didn't say anything I could tell that he didn't agree with it. I didn't know enough about it and that's why I stayed out of any talks about it. Grace just didn't seem to believe in it and that seemed okay, but I think some of the group would have preferred if we did believe in Yevon. I remember Wakka saying that Sin would only go away once we atoned for our own sins.

I spent a while sitting about just to take pressure off my feet. I was so sore it was unbelievable and it was only me who felt like it. It wasn't a good feeling and I wanted to prove that I would be a good Guardian for Yuna. She believed in me enough to make me one but I had to prove to myself I could do it.

"You're not used to this amount of walking, are you?" Angel asked, sitting beside me. She was quite quiet since we met and only really ever talked to me. With everyone else it was short, to the point, answers. I still didn't know much about her; it was like drawing blood from a stone.

"You can tell?" I laughed while she stayed stoic. "How are you not tired? What kind of stuff did you go through to not get tired?"

"Just a lot of training," She said.

"As soon as you were able to stand?"

"No, it's been three years since I started," Okay that got me interested, and a little unsettled.

"What the Hell happened that made you start fighting when you were ten?" She looked at me and I think she thought she had said too much.

"It's nothing you need to worry about," She said calmly, not revealing anything more. It was so hard to talk to her about anything.

"You have any brothers or sisters?" I asked.

"No, none at all."

"What about your mum and dad? Are they in Bevelle?"

"My parents are dead."

"Then who were you waiting for in Luca?"

"My Uncle," She said. "I was waiting for him. He knows what I'm doing," And he's okay with that? That didn't seem right. I wanted to ask what I was thinking but she started talking before I could open my mouth. "I heard you talking about a Siren to Auron before we left Luca. Is she someone you know?"

"Someone I've heard of," I said. "Auron said she was part of Braska's Pilgrimage before she became a Summoner. Some people have mentioned I look like her but I don't know anything else. I think I'll ask the priests at the next Temple. If she was a Guardian and a Summoner then they must know a bit more, right?" Angel just nodded. "And Grace has been talking about a Pyre and a Karma. Auron mentioned they were part of Braska's Pilgrimage as well. Apparently Grace looks like Pyre and a woman on Kilika said Pyre was a Summoner as well. I don't anything about Karma though, I'm thinking of asking Auron again later," She nodded again. It really was like drawing blood from a stone. I decided to go for a different angle. "So where did you get your sword from?"

"It was made for me," Oh. That's it. "It's a long story."

"Well I like long stories," I said. "In fact I like hearing long stories over and over. I think the more I hear it, the in depth it becomes and I understand it more."

"Maybe later."

"Come on Angel if we're going to travel together at least talk to me!" I exclaimed frustrated. "Bevelle's a long way away so can you at least try get along with us?"

"I'm sure I'll warm up to you eventually," She said before getting up and walking off. I was trying really hard to make friends but it really wasn't happening with Angel.

* * *

Later on I'd gotten a second wind and asked Wakka if he wanted to play some Blitzball. I was surprised at how much energy I had when we were playing even though he was showing me throws and passes. Wakka's were a lot stronger than mine and I was still trying to get used to throwing and catching with one hand rather than two.

I got a bit winded by one strong throw from Wakka that knocked me back and I almost fell onto my backside. I managed to catch the ball so that was something.

"Sorry about that one Christie!" He called from across the large area next to the inn. A lot of us were outside and the sun was starting to set. Yuna was on the cliff across from the inn by herself. Kimahri and Lulu were standing by the inn, the Black Mage watching Wakka and I practising, and Auron had just recently came outside.

I got up and held the Blitzball in my hands. Lulu folded her arms and shook her head.

"She's not an Auroch, Wakka," She scolded lightly. "Don't be too hard on her."

"Hey she's got talent, ya?" Wakka returned, catching the ball once I tossed to over to him with a long pass. I jogged up to the former Auroch Captain afterwards. "Couple more years on you and I'd let you join the team."

"Really? Thanks Wakka," I smiled, turning my head to see Yuna. She was just sitting by herself and I got worried. "Is she okay?"

"She just needs time alone," Lulu answered. "Her journey is going to be a long and hard one. Sometimes she just needs time alone to think." It must have been hard for Yuna because she was on a Pilgrimage to save Spira. She had took it upon herself to save Spira and we had to help her do that.

"Hey, can I ask something?" I turned to the two Guardians. They were teenagers ten years ago so they must have known something. "Do you ever remember Braska and his Guardians coming onto Besaid to get the Aeon?"

"Can't say I know much, Christie," Wakka told me. "Was down on the beach practising with the Aurochs when they arrived."

"There was a fuss at the Temple," Lulu recalled. "One of Lord Braska's Guardians was Al Bhed. The Temple refused to let him enter so he waited outside of the village with another of his Guardians," I nodded. "Why do you ask?"

"A woman on Kilika said I looked like one of his Guardians, Siren," I explained. "I'm just trying to find out more about her."

"There was a Guardians called Siren, but now that you mention it," Lulu looked me over quickly. "You do look like her. If she was Lord Braska's Guardian you would probably be better asking Sir Auron." I guess. I gave a nod knowing that would have been a good idea. I'd probably ask him some point tomorrow when we're walking along the Highroad and hopefully he'd tell me a little more about Siren.


	23. Lysander: Separating

Separating

When I woke up the next morning I realised that a good part of the group were still asleep. I got up and dressed and went downstairs, wondering how many of the group were awake. I was about to walk in on a conversation when I heading downstairs so I held back and listened in.

"It's still early, you haven't eaten yet and..." Yuna sounded a little desperate. She, Lulu, Wakka and Grace were the only ones who were awake. Shit Grace was leaving now? Fuck was she just going to disappear on us?

"You're just stalling now," Grace said. "Yuna I have to go, they're all waiting on me."

"But you haven't even said goodbye to everyone!" Yuna protested. Grace gave a sigh and put a hand on the girl's arm.

"Sweetie, this is something I have to do," She told her. "It's like you being a Summoner: it's something we have to do."

"Can't you just, you know, say that your Guardian duties come first, ya?" Wakka asked. I could understand why he didn't want Grace to go since he lost his brother to the Crusaders and Lulu felt the same. They just really didn't want Grace to leave the group. Didn't realise she'd made such an impact on them.

"I'm helping them stop Sin and I'm protecting Yuna at the same time," Was Grace's answer. How the Hell could she go all martyr so suddenly? "I am being a Guardian."

"Then what about Christie and Lysander?" Lulu chided. "You've done so much to keep you all together and you're leaving them?"

"Look it's hard, okay, I get it," Grace sighed. "But I'll be back once it's over. The road's going to be closed until the Operation's over so I'll come back when it ends, okay?" Wow they _really_ didn't want her to go. I didn't want her to go either but she was adamant that she would play a part in it.

"Grace, we really must be going now," Was that Luzzu? Maybe they were all going together.

"I'll come back, just don't worry about me too much, okay?" Grace said warmly. The others did the prayer motions and bowed to her.

"We will pray for your safety, Grace, and the safety of all the Crusaders," Yuna replied. Grace did her Crusader salute and headed out with Luzzu. I felt a sinking feeling in my chest. I felt that I should have stepped in and said something. But fuck what could I do? Grace's mind was made up and shewasn't backing down. She was as bad as Yuna. "Isn't there anything we can do?" I heard Yuna ask her friends after a moment.

"She's made up her mind, nothing we can do," Wakka frowned. "I don't want her to go, either, but I don't think she'll be fighting. She's good but she's not got enough experience to be fighting Sin head on, ya?"

"Wakka's right. She may be ordered to run messages to the camps," Lulu said to reassure Yuna. "You don't have to worry about her. Grace knows what she's doing."

"Is she all right?" I asked quite fluently for having to pretend I'd just arrived. They all just looked at me as I came down. "What? Is Grace okay?"

"She just left to join the Crusaders," Yuna explained. "They wanted all the Crusaders to leave for the Mushroom Rock Road early morning so she's went with them."

"She didn't even say bye?" I said. I was kind of annoyed she didn't wake us about it and I guessed they were all awake to try convince her to stay. Maybe she just thought it would have been harder and would have only upset people, I don't know, I'm not Grace.

"Hey everyone," Christie jumped down the last few steps, looking a lot better than she had yesterday. She already sensed the low tone of the group. "What's up?"

"Grace has left to join the Crusaders on the Mushroom Rock," Lulu explained to the girl. "She also mentioned that the road is closed off to everyone, Summoner parties included, until the Operation is over. We're to wait here until they're finished."

"But she didn't even say goodbye," Christie frowned. She looked really disheartened at the news. Her and Grace got along like a house on fire and they usually stuck together. I guess Grace would want me to look after her and Angel since I'm the second oldest, even though I'm only nearly sixteen.

"She would have if she'd had time," I tried explaining, thinking it'd make her feel better. "The Crusaders probably needed everyone at the Mushroom Rock immediately for the Operation," She just gave a nod but the girl looked sad that Grace was gone. "Chin up mate, she's coming back."

* * *

Everyone else was up not long afterwards. We explained that Grace had went with the Crusaders and she told us to wait here until she got back. There wasn't really much to do so Christie asked if I could go over some moves with her. She told me she was going to try convince Angel to play Blitzball with her, Tidus and Wakka.

"Throw your weight into it, you're actually trying to hurt things," I said to encourage Christie. In her eyes I saw a bit of uncertainty and she hesitated once her fist was raised. "Come on, hit me as if I was a fiend. I know you can hit so hit me." She looked me up and down but moved her body back, getting into her usual fighting stance. The fist was still raised though. Now I know she was getting better but with her stalling in sparring matches she wouldn't improve at a decent rate.

Without warning I threw a punch at her, catching her off guard and knocking her to she side after getting her other arm. She was stunned for a moment, registering what had just happened, before she finally reacted by throwing a really hard punch into my own arm. Actual fuck it hurt.

"What the Hell?" She asked, holding her arm. "If I get a bruise..." She looked at her arm, rubbing over the stricken area with a small flinch as she put pressure on it. I don't know why people did that, I did it too and the bloody thing stung like a massive killer wasp bitch thing.

"With you on that one, mate," I said when I looked at my own arm. It was going to fucking hurt for a while. "Fuck I didn't know you could hit that hard."

"Neither did I..." Christie's eyes drifted to something behind me, there was a fear and sense of worry in her face and body as she stood up. "Lysander, what's that?" I turned my head slowly, seeing the huge, drooling creature. It was a blue colour with huge arms and hands and stumpy legs. And it was going for the Chocobos.

"Oh fuck," I said and whipped out my guns, firing at the fiend to distract it, causing the Chocobos to scatter. The woman who looked after them emerged when she heard the gunfire, screaming in fright when she spotted the Chocobo Eater. "Get help! Now! Go!" I ordered. Christie stood beside me and raised her fists. I didn't even bother telling her to stand back; she was going to fight.

The fiend's attention came to us and it turned its body. I watched it move; it was a bit slow because of its short legs. How it got so close to the inn without anyone noticing I'll never know. I jerked my head to the side to move Christie for a two-side attack. I could get it distracted while Christie got it from behind until we got help.

I just didn't realise the actual length of its arms. It noticed Christie running and gave its arm a swing, Christie flying off to the other side of the field. She got up quickly enough, a bit dazed from the attack, and tried to go around more slowly. While it was eyeing her up I fired more bullets into it, making it go after me. I moved backwards, reloading and firing to look for its weak points. It flinched when someone got it from behind and I saw a burst of fire afterwards. Tidus leapt onto the fiend's back and launched himself over it, landing nearby where I was. Auron came round the far side while Wakka came round the other.

"Let's get it!" Tidus yelled and went for the fiend again. Wakka threw his ball in time to distract the beast while Tidus and Auron went straight in for it. I could see Lulu casting fire spells and Yuna casting defensive Magic on people nearby with Kimahri protecting her. I couldn't see Christie or Angel but knew they were fighting.

The Chocobo Eater started to turn around when Lulu cast a powerful spell that made it stumble back. The look on Tidus' face when I turned to him looked as though he had remembered something that could help.

"Auron! How did you fight this thing?" I remember now. Auron, Jecht and Braska fought this thing ten years ago. Well maybe not the same one. But with Siren, Pyre and Karma being there they must have fought it too.

"Knock it down and push it back!" Auron ordered. Kimahri charged towards the monster and lodged his spear inside it. My guns weren't doing much to hurt it, the hide was probably too tough. Made me wish I had a knife or a crowbar or something that would work. I had spare parts off a Machina I found in the Bikinal but they wouldn't be any good, neither would that silver ball unless it was distracted by shining things.

Angel's free hand suddenly went alight and she flung a stream of fire at the Chocobo Eater as we started our attempts to knock down the fiend. I was a little surprised. She'd never shown that technique before. Christie mentioned that Angel could use healing Magic as well. Okay there wasn't any time to think about that there was a fiend here.

The thing wasn't going down as easy as I thought it would. It was slow but it wasn't for going down. It was a lot closer to the cliff leading to the Old Road too...

I don't know why, but I got hit by a weird deja vu kind of thing. It was like I'd been in this fight before and I meant physically fighting, not the way I had played it back home. It was strange and I started remembering that the Chocobo Eater fell off onto the Old Road. I looked to the other side of the field. It was a distance but...

"Hey where you going?" Wakka asked when I ran off across the field, deliberately running close to the fiend and shooting it, ducking under its arms when it went to swing at me. I kept running, firing at it to get it distracted from the other. I saw Christie about to run to me but Angel grabbed her and held her back.

Even though I managed to get a distance on it, the fiend was still fast when once it gained momentum. I was almost about to duck from a punch but I wasn't fast enough and went flying forward, stopping short of the cliff's edge. I heard Yuna gasping in fright. I thought she'd Summon an Aeon at this point. Still I'd be feeling that hit later.

I pulled myself up and turned to face the fiend. I was kind of hoping the others had gotten the point. The thing started to run again. At me. I gripped my guns tighter, gritting my teeth, waiting and hoping I'd get the right moment.

When I did it felt part me, part something pulling me out the way. Either way everyone had followed along and they went for a unified charge, pushing the fiend over the edge before it could stop itself. Pyreflies started to rise upwards as we all stared at the cliff. What I was really wondering was how the fuck did I know that.

"Most impressive," Turning our heads we all saw Rin, haven't seen that bastard in a while, some inn employees and an entourage of Guado guarding Maester Seymour. A ginger man was also with them. I didn't expect the Maester here. "You all show amazing strength. I would expect nothing less from the daughter of Lord Braska and her Guardians."

"Thank you, Your Grace," Yuna bowed. I noticed her hands trembling as she performed it, but Wakka and Lulu were a lot more steady. I got myself up and put my guns away before the Guado or Seymour noticed. Even if they did I wouldn't give a shit because they're bastards. "May I ask why you have come this way, Your Grace?" Yuna asked when the air got really quiet and really awkward.

"Ah yes, my travelling on foot may strike you as odd," Seymour said. There was something about his creepy voice that made me grimace. I knew who he was and what he did, but even being a couple of feet away from him made me feel on edge. I wasn't the only one, Auron was the same but for different reasons. He was against Yevon; he didn't know what Seymour had done. "I head for the Mushroom Rock to support the Crusaders in their task." He didn't say any more than that, but instead turned to the ginger man, who's face was stern throughout the conversation.

"We must be leaving, Maester Seymour," He said. His accent wasn't Spirian, couldn't place it but it wasn't Spirian I knew that. I thought he'd say more than that but he just went silent after speaking. Seymour then turned back to Yuna.

"You are not going to the Temple of Djose?" He inquired. Yuna's face flushed and she looked down at the ground in embarrassment.

"A Guardian of mine is also a Crusader," She began. "We had been told, before she departed, Your Grace, that no one was to pass until the Operation was completed, and we were to wait here until her return." The ginger guy's face twisted a little, an eyebrow raising ever so slightly, eyes shifting to focus on someone else briefly, his eyes then looking directly at me, before returning his gaze to Yuna and Seymour. I had noticed Angel's posture tense up as if she was holding her ground. What was her deal?

"I see," Seymour paused for a moment before bowing to Yuna. "Then allow me to escort you to the Mushroom Rock, Lady Yuna," She gasped in shock at the Maester's request. "There is no need to worry. As Maester, you and your Guardians will be under my protection." Yuna really had no words for that. None of us did for that matter. Still we weren't going to look a gift horse in the mouth so we accepted Seymour's offer. Angel's face was visibly displeased with this arrangement but she kept her reasons to herself, as always.


	24. Lysander: The Long Road Ahead

The Long Road Ahead

So Seymour had offered to take us to the Mushroom Rock Road. He left out the part where we would be going to the Command Centre so the others were under the impression that we were allowed to pass through before the Operation began. Yuna was still in shock that the Maester was allowing this for her and her face was still kind of red. Everyone else seemed more or less neutral about it, except for Tidus who was watching Seymour before turning his gaze to Yuna and thinking to himself, Christie who seemed quite confused, and Angel who was still as tense as she was when the Maester first arrived after the fight.

"We're walking really fast, huh?" Christie said, huffing a little as she tried to catch her breath as she walked. We were going at a faster pace than we usually did and covered a lot of ground in a short space of time. The Maester seemed to really be in a hurry.

"If we were in that much a hurry we should have rented Chocobos," I said to Christie. Hopefully when we got to the Mushroom Rock we could at least walk at a regular pace. I really didn't get why hiring Chocobos was ruled out. It would have got us there a lot faster.

"Hey why do you think the Maester's taking us to the Mushroom Rock Road?" She asked, ignoring the obvious answer of 'because Yuna's on a Pilgrimage and we'd best get her to Zanarkand as soon as possible'. Wait... did Chrsite even know what happened in Zanaraknd? Grace knew Yuna had to die because Lulu and Wakka told her when she became a Guardian and she was doing the Crusader bit to stop Yuna from dying; I knew because I of the game. Christie had the Toxin so did that mean she... had no idea? Was she on the same boat as Tidus? She just didn't know? "Lysander? Hello?"

"What?" I looked down at her, seeing the bruise forming on her arm from where I punched her. I was seeing a bruise on my own arm too, but not as obvious as hers. "Probably because he fancies the pants off Yuna and is trying to impress her?" Christie bit her lip to stop a burst of laughter but my remark had caught Tidus attention.

"Are you serious?" He asked me. Well I guess I kind of was, I mean I always thought Seymour had that weird obsessive love thing for Yuna happening. "You really think Seymour likes Yuna? He's just met her!" Thankfully his outbursts weren't loud enough to make everyone look at him. Christie cracked a smile.

"Jealous much, Tidus?" She asked, earning a playful shove from the Blitzball player. "No seriously you and Yuna get on like a house on fire, plus I heard you saying to Wakka that you thought she was cute back on Besaid."

"Well... yeah..." Ha, she got him there. "Still Yuna's too focused on the Pilgrimage. Besides romance can wait until after it."

"You keep telling yourself that," I shrugged. "But keep an eye on him anyway." I knew Tidus didn't like Seymour, it was pretty damn obvious that he thought the guy was bad news.

"You don't like him?" Christie asked, directing it at both me and Tidus.

"I just don't get a good vibe off him," The Blitzer justified. "And I hate to say it, but my bad feelings are usually right." Yeah you hit the nail on the head with this guy, mate.

"Yeah, same," I said without elaborating. I kind of wanted to go into the spiel with how Yevon was built on lies, Seymour killed his dad and wanted to control Sin to cause a mass genocide to Spira but that would have probably got me killed on the spot for being a heretic. Christie started to give a thoughtful look as we walked down the road.

"I'm going to ask Lulu something," She announced before heading over to the Black Mage, starting off a conversation with her. I started to think to myself about the Chocobo Eater fight. What I did, I mean I knew that pushing off the cliff was a way to kill it but the fact that a got a deja vu feeling from it was weird. It was like I got the feeling because I'd lived it, not because of memories of playing the game.

I looked at the front of the group where Seymour and that ginger guy were. He had been glancing back at the group from time to time before looking forward for fiends and speaking with Seymour. It started off looking like he was just checking but the further we walked, the more it became a regular routine. Walk a distance, turn head and look at the group, walk a bit more, so on. I noticed him do it early on and the more routine he became the more obvious it seemed to me.

I kept looking at him, trying to figure out why he was there. If he was with Seymour there was a good chance he couldn't be trusted. He hadn't said much at all but he seemed aware of things I didn't know. I'd caught him eyeing me a couple of times but he didn't look away and pretend he wasn't looking; he'd just have a staring contest with me for a few moments before turning back. The way he looked at me gave me the impression that he knew me, somehow. That definitely couldn't be possible this was the first time I'd seen the man.

Angel was pretty tense as well. The whole time she'd been acting tense, uneasy and a little bit hostile. It was like she thought a fight was going to start at any given moment within the group. She'd glance at the ginger guy and Seymour when they weren't looking before looking around the group again. What was with these people and looking about them as if we're all going to suddenly kill one another?

Grace must have been at the Mushroom Rock by now, she must have by now. She might even be at the gate, she only left a few hours before we did. The others seemed to really not want her to do this but she'd come back alive, I mean she had to, it wasn't like she was going to be on the front lines of anything and even if she was she'd probably survive, I'm sure she would. She was clever and she knew she was coming back.

During the walk, around the time we were getting really close to the Mushroom Gate, I decided to ask Auron about the time he fought the Chocobo Eater. I'd always been curious about how they fought it ten years ago, so I thought I'd get an answer while I could.

"Jecht charged straight for the fiend," Was the start of the story, kind of expected that since it sounded like something Jecht would do. "I didn't want Braska to come to harm, so I stayed close to him to protect him from the fiend's blows," Well that sounds like you. "Gynsy pulled an interesting stunt, much like the one you performed today."

"You mean he lured the Chocobo Eater off a cliff?" Auron nodded in confirmation. So this Gynsy did the same thing I did? "Wait was Gynsy a Guardian of Braska's?"

"He was more of a Guardian to Pyre than to Braska," Auron told me but I had a feeling I wouldn't be getting any in depth stories. "He never went into the Temples because he was Al Bhed, and called himself Karma to avoid rousing any suspicion of his heritage," Now that I think about it, Gynsy translated into Karma form Al Bhed. "Pyre trusted him, as did Braska."

"What about you?" I asked. I know younger Auron stuck to the Yevon stuff a lot until realising the whole thing was a lie. The man chuckled a bit in response, probably remembering his Pilgrimage with Braska.

"Like Jecht, he was a handful," That wouldn't be a surprise to me. "But Gynsy and I both shared the same idea: that Braska wouldn't have to die to stop Sin and there was another way."

"What happened to Gynsy-Karma after the Pilgrimage?" Was probably a long shot because I always thought Auron just went straight back to Zanarkand to attack Yunalesca.

"I can't say," He said the same thing to Yuna when she asked about Jecht. This time it was said differently. I don't think he actually knew.

* * *

The Mushroom Rock Road was as depressing and as foreboding as I remembered it. Actually even more because I was actually standing there. It was cold as well, with a bitter sea breeze whooshing around, the waves roughly climbing up the shore. Just looking at the water made me a bit nervous and I was glad when we'd be getting to higher ground.

Seymour had went ahead with the ginger guy to speak to the Crusaders. Wakka was having a fit about the idea of a Maester supporting something like the Operation. Well Maester Kinoc was here and he commanded the Crusaders, even after they all got excommunicated for going through with this mission, despite the consequences.

"Grace isn't here," Christie frowned, squinting her eyes when the wind blew by us. She was looking down at the beaches, thinking Grace would be there. If she'd only been a Crusader a short time I don't think they'd have her down there. Then again considering what they were going up against they might have wanted as many as possible down there. My stomach sank at that thought.

"Relax she'll be fine," I tried assuring her. She nodded and held her bruised arm, making me do the same to my own arm. She really punched hard when she wanted to. Seymour was still taking his time with the speech, giving us time to ourselves before he'd return to creep on Yuna. I felt sorry for Yuna because she probably didn't know how to act with that kind of attention, especially from a Maester. I looked over at Tidus who, like everyone else, was watching Seymour talk to the Crusaders. We couldn't really hear what he was saying. Tidus' face was one of confusion because of what Wakka was saying about the Crusaders, the Operation and the Machina. Grace was always saying that they were looking for another way to kill Sin but for good and that this was their way. I think, because he didn't understand Yevon, he thought that as long as Sin was gone that's what mattered.

I was kind of hoping Seymour would hurry it up a bit, it was getting really dull waiting on him. Still if the Crusaders needed the morale boost then that's what he had to do. I really did wonder where Grace was. If she wasn't down here then she might have been at the Command Centre. I looked out to the beach again, there was so many Crusaders and Chocobo Knights down there.

"You'd think with Sin being there most of the time more people would be afraid of water," I said mostly to myself. Christie looked up at me when I talked and took her attention away from Seymour, who I just realised was approaching us with the ginger guy.

"That's... actually a good point," She replied. "But Spira's got a lot of water. Maybe people aren't afraid of the water, it's the fear of meeting Sin in the water."

"Still it's associated with water," I countered.

"I still think it's the fear of meeting Sin, not the water itself," I kind of realised I was putting myself in a corner and I knew from Christie's face she had a question that I'd been avoiding with everyone. "Why are you scared of water?" I was about to do the usual 'no I'm not scared of water' defence when she jabbed my arm. "Don't deny it, Lysander, you keep saying it's a dislike when it's worse than you say it is." I sighed but I knew I wasn't going to get away with the usual excuse.

"Promise you don't say?" She gave a small nod as an answer. I looked at the group and saw that they were too busy speaking to Seymour to bother with us. I turned to Christie who looked slightly... happy? Was she happy I was finally telling her? Weird kid. "Long story short, when I was a kid I fell off a boat and nearly drowned," Christie's bright face instantly went into sadness and shock. "The idea of being in water where I can't feel the bottom doesn't sit well with me. That's why I didn't like being on the boats." Can't imagine how I'll deal with sitting on that bloody Shoopuff. Marginally better? Here's hoping.

"I'm sorry to hear that," She said. I was convinced she wanted to hug me.

"It's fine, I'm not embarrassed about being scared of water... much," I shrugged at the end. I was fifteen, I was going to feel embarrassed about stupid things.

"Then why is it such a big deal that I don't tell anyone?" Christie asked, folding her arms. "And why did it take so long for you to say?" That... was a good question. Probably embarrassment, especially in front of two girls I'd never met before and a lot of new people. I mean back home all my mates knew about my hydrophobia and they were fine with it.

"How about we say I wanted to impress you and Grace?" We both grinned at that answer. Christie's face was bright and cheerful again. "Still I'd rather you not go around telling everyone. If they ask, I'll tell. Without making a huge fuss over it, promise." Her eyebrows furrowed together for a moment but she was happy with what I'd said.

And during our conversation we completely missed what the others were talking about with Seymour. Christie went to Yuna, occasionally trying to pull Angel into the conversation but she was having none of it. There was something about that girl that was more than just shyness or awkwardness or whatever. We were actually left to our devices for a while when Seymour asked us to wait while he attended to something. Some Crusaders apologised to us for the wait and stuff until that ginger guy eventually returned to us.

"I must apologise for your wait," He told us, bowing to us slightly. I thought it was a bit weird he wasn't doing the Yevon bow, what with him being with a Maester and everything. "But Maester Seymour will be busy for quite some time with the Crusaders. As such he has asked me to escort you to the Command Centre. You will be safe there while the Operation takes place."

"Thank you, Sir," Yuna, Wakka and Lulu had all bowed, the rest of us remained standing. He didn't seem to notice or care.

"You don't need formalities with me," He said. Odd from a pretty formal sounding guy. "My name is Oblivion Thorium Furanio, but Oblivion will simply do. Now, if I could show you to the Command Centre." He glanced around the group, his expression completely stoic before turning to take us up the Mushroom Rock cliffs. Angel was tense again in his presence. She definitely knew this Oblivion guy and something had happened between them.

* * *

The whole walk had been kind of interesting to note. For the first half Christie had went up to speak with Oblivion and the two seem to get along fine, then after they stopped talking Angel went over to her and they were suddenly talking all friendly like. Christie was caught off guard by the sudden warmth Angel gave her but something told me it was because of the conversation with Oblivion. I kind of wanted of step in and talk with them but Christie was handling herself well. I'd ended up talking to Tidus and Yuna about the Crusaders and Grace. They had actually been looking for her throughout all the Crusaders we passed and were hoping she'd be at the Command Centre. Then Tidus started asking about the Maesters and why they were at the Operation if he had heard the Crusaders were excommunicated. Yuna did most of the explaining, but the general explanation was that, despite being rejected from the Temples, a lot of the Crusaders still had faith and the Maesters saw that and were there to give them that morale boost. Lulu and Kimahri were quiet most of the way, Auron was observing the area and Wakka was on his Yevon high horse.

Near the Command Centre we heard a couple of people arguing. Oblivion noticed them but stood back, not attempting to hold us back when we went over to Luzzu and Gatta. While Luzzu was trying to be as calm as possible, Gatta was angry as fuck. We were getting to the end of the fight as we approach, Gatta eventually storming off and taking the elevator to the Command Centre, completely bypassing us on the way. It was Tidus who was the first to walk up to Luzzu.

"I see you made it past the gates," He noted, taking notice of Oblivion over by the elevator. "I assume Maester Seymour has business with you? No, I shouldn't ask, it's none of my business." Tidus folded his arms and looked over at the elevator.

"Gatta... deserves better," He said. Luzzu knew exactly what he meant by that and frowned.

"I understand how he feels, but it's for his own good," He told us. "The same goes for Grace, too. If anything were to happen to them I wouldn't forgive myself," He sighed and I knew what was coming next. "I must take my position soon but, before I go... Wakka..."

"Luzzu! Don't!" Lulu suddenly protested. Suddenly I felt a body close to me and looked down. Christie was standing close to me, her face worried. Lulu's protest didn't stop the Crusader.

"I... was the one who convinced Chappu to enlist..." There was stunned silence throughout the group. Wakka's face had everything in it: pain, confusion, horror, anger. "I'm sorry." I bet Wakka was thinking that a sorry wouldn't bring his brother back, bring Chappu back to Lulu. All that changed was that he knew the one responsible for making Chappu a Crusader.

And gave him a swift right hook.

Christie gasped in surprise and her hand gripped my arm. Tidus dove in and pulled Wakka back before he could hit Luzzu again. The guy was so pissed off and was doing his best to break free and hit Luzzu again.

"Wakka! That's enough!" Tidus shouted. Wakka threw him off but didn't go for the Crusader again. Instead he towered over him, glaring daggers.

"When we used to play, Chappu would tell me that after we won the tournament... he'd... he'd propose to Lu," It was strange. I'd seen this a lot of times before but standing and watching this in front of me. It really astounded me. This guy had lost his brother and Lulu had lost someone she was in love with. Normally I wouldn't give an emotional response but you really couldn't help but feel for them. Made me think about my own brother. And my mum and dad. I wonder how they were doing? Were they okay? Would I see them again? "Then he runs and becomes a Crusader, just like that!"

"Chappu... also told me..." Luzzu began. "That being with your girl is good. But keeping Sin far away from her is better," There was heavy silence, none of us sure how it would go. Christie's grip tightened nervously. Then the call for the Crusaders was made. "I must go. Again... I'm sorry Wakka." After telling Luzzu not to die so he could hit him again, Wakka told us that he needed a moment. We waited for him at the elevator before he joined the group again. Oblivion gave a sympathetic nod as we ascended.

"Grace!" Christie gave the girl a hug when we got to the top. Grace smiled and hugged back, putting a hand on Christie's shoulder.

"I heard the Maetser let you through," She said. "I'm stationed at the Command Centre but I've got to and tell the Al Bhed units on the cliffs to prepare. I'll be back up as as soon as. The Command Centre's over there," Christie nodded and went off with some of the group. Grace walked to me and smiled. "Hey how do you say 'good luck' in Al Bhed? I don't think I'd remember 'Prepare the cannons and be on standby'."

"Kuut milg," I told her. Grace gave a nod in thanks. "They won't need you down at the beach, will they?" I know she'd be fine but there was that worry in case they told her to go.

"Most likely not. Crusaders protecting the Command Centre have the priority order to protect the Maesters unless directly ordered by them to do otherwise," Grace explained. I breathed a sigh of relief which made her laugh. "Happy?"

"Well, it's just that Christie, you know," I stammered stupidly. "She wouldn't want anything to happen to you... and neither would I," Grace smiled and put her hand on my shoulder, patting it as she headed to the elevator. I turned around before she hit the button to go down. "Grace!" She looked at me and I gave her the Crusader salute. With a warm smile she copied the gesture.

"I'll be back soon," She called. "Look after Christie while I'm gone."


	25. Grace: The Operation

The Operation

When I was making my way back to the Command Centre I saw someone leaving the elevator and heading back down to the beach. I knew exactly who it was and my stomach dropped. I didn't know what he was thinking but I couldn't let him do this. I went after him instead of going to the Command Centre.

"Gatta!" I cried out to get his attention. His pace didn't slow at all and it kept me running after him. "Gatta what are you doing? Gatta don't ignore me!"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" He half-yelled as he stormed down to the beaches. There were absolutely no Crusaders on the path down as they were all getting into position so no one was there to stop Gatta except for me. "I came to fight Sin and that's what I'm going to do!"

"What about the Command Centre? Protecting the Maesters and all?" I tried to argue, taking huge breaths between words as we ran. "What about that? We need you up there-"

"They've got plenty of Crusaders up there, and a whole entourage, and Yuna and her Guardians," Gatta snapped. "Besides, shouldn't you be back up there? You're Yuna's Guardian right?"

"I don't want you to kill yourself!" I grabbed his arm and made him stop. I looked in his eyes, seeing the fierce determination in them, the desire to kill Sin and fight the battle with his friends instead of sitting up at the Command Centre watching others fight a battle he so badly wanted to join. Still he was barely older than me, I couldn't let him do this. "What about Luzzu?"

"What about him? He thinks he's trying to protect me!" Gatta fumed. "But he's not! I can fight Sin whether he thinks so or not! No one, not you, not Luzzu, is going to stop me, okay?" I shook my head in response. He wasn't going to run off and get himself killed. He wasn't doing this. Gatta saw the look in my face and glared. "You're not going to stop me Grace, don't you want to stop Sin too?" He never gave me time to answer, instead choosing to run off to the beach.

"Gatta!" I yelled and ran after him. I didn't want him to do this. I know I was the same, I wanted to fight but at the same time I was scared for the Operation to happen and everyone fight Sin. Everyone wanted to fight Sin and kill it for good but I wasn't about to let Gatta kill himself.

The battle had already started by the time we reached the beaches. At the beaches were the Crusaders and Chocobo Knights charging towards the Sinscales on the beach that were viciously mauling the Crusaders. Sinscales were weak alone but their numbers more than made up for it. I'd heard stories from other Crusaders that they could tear down platoons of Crusaders as Sin would make its way to the towns around Spira. I remembered dealing with them on the boat to Kilika but that was nothing compared to what I was seeing down there. Taking a look at the battlefield made me think of Wakka, of Lulu, of Chappu, of why they didn't want me to fight. My blood ran cold with fright, my eyes darting around to see fallen Chocobos, bloodied soldiers, cannons, guns, screaming, fighting. I could see some Crusaders, once filled with determination and drive to stop Sin, now fearing for their lives and running towards the Djose Highroad to repent to Yevon for turning away. I saw people climbing from the cliffs to join the fight with their brothers and sisters, having nothing to lose. If I had been up at the Command Centre I might never have seen this.

I took my spear and, without another thought, ran to the beach alongside Gatta. There really was no turning back at this point. No turning back.

Without a doubt, running into that battlefield was one of the scariest moments of my life. I'd only read about wars in school, watched the movies, heard about them on the news broadcasts. Regardless of the adrenaline coursing through my body, the back of my mind told me that I was a seventeen year old dancer. I wasn't a soldier like the Crusaders, just a girl who wanted to help. Sure I had some fight, had some skill in all that Alchemy, but at heart I was a dancer, not a warrior like the rest.

I threw red powder at a group of Sinscale, burning them and sending them into an angry and blind flurry. It was easier to dodge them and take them out that way. One bit me in the leg and I kicked it off, stabbing it quickly then swiping another Sinscale to the left of me. In the distance I could see Sin getting closer, a huge barrier around it as the Al Bhed cannon got closer to it.

"Come on, please work," I said to myself, watching the cannon get into place. I didn't want Yuna to die for us. I wanted this to work so badly. Please work for us.

As I stood I barely saw the Sinscales coming for me. I whacked them out of the way and threw blue powder, this one turning the Sinscale against each other. I attacked the other beasts at that group was distracted, helping other Crusaders who were having trouble.

I tried to look for Gatta, for Luzzu, hoping they were okay. I didn't want Gatta to be hurt, especially if it could have been avoided. I couldn't find them amongst the chaos. I wanted them to be okay. I wanted Yuna to be okay. I wanted Christie and Lysander to be okay. I said I'd come back and be Yuna's Guardian, I said I would come back. I said I would come back.

"What is it doing?" I heard a Crusader yell. I looked to Sin, fearing the worst.

A bright, white light. Rushing towards us, decimating everything in its path.

I thought my heart had stopped in fear.

Instead, the beach cleared. It was nothing like the battle I was participating in. It was calm, serene even. The sun was shining, a couple of clouds, white and grey, casting over the sky. The waves were slowly lapping up to the shoreline. There was a small breeze tasting of salt and it was cold, despite the sun.

There was a woman on the beach, crouching at the shore and watching the waves move back and forth at her feet. I recognised the dress the woman wore: a warm orange dress that flowed elegantly to the ground, sand and water dirtying the hem, a golden belt with flower decals around her waist, the back tied into a bow. Her shoulders were bare, the red and orange scarf had fallen off her shoulders and her absent mindedly pulled them back up to warm herself. Her blonde hair was pulled back to a bun, chopsticks adorned with tiny, pretty butterflies of various colours keeping it in place.

Her companion stood close to me, not aware of my existence. He was Al Bhed: blonde haired, green eyes and tanned. His clothes were much like outfits of the other Al Bhed I had seen around the Mushroom Rock: brown baggy trousers with brown boots, yellow fitted top with Al Bhed adornments, belts, and goggles. He seemed to be waiting patiently for his friend to finish what she was doing.

I had seen them on the boat to Luca, a vision of them from so long ago. Pyre and Gynsy, or Karma.

I was so confused, why was I seeing this now?

"_Hey! What's taking so long?"_ Both Karma and I turned, seeing four people waiting. Three men and another woman. The woman looked like an older Christie but had blue eyes and wore light brown cropped trousers, tall brown sandals and a green top underneath a white robe with red triangles around the sleeves, hood and bottom of the knee length robe that also had a red, thin ribbon tied into a bow.

"_Give Pyre some time,"_ Karma said to the man who asked the question. I took a look at the three men. The red robe of one I recognised almost immediately: Auron's robe. Wait, I remembered Christie telling me that Pyre, Karma and Siren were with Auron, Jecht and Braska on their Pilgrimage. Could this mean... I was having flashbacks? But how and why? Why would I see this when I'm not a part of it?

"_But we're falling behind as it is," _The younger Auron chastised. I saw that Pyre had stood up and turned around. Before, in the vision I had on the boat, Pyre looked younger. Here I could tell she had been caused a lot of stress and had grown older.

"_I'm sorry, but Siren? Could I have a word?"_ She still sounded as soothing as she had on the boat. Siren gave a small nod and started to climb down the rocks towards the older woman. Karma took the hint and gave Siren a pat on the shoulder before heading up to the men and leaving the girls alone. It was silent between them, then Pyre took a breath. _"You probably don't remember this place," _Siren looked uncertain but said nothing. _"When Sin destroyed the ship heading from Luca to Bevelle, I found you here as a child, scared, alone and the only survivor. You cried for your mother, for your father, for your aunt. You said you wanted to go home, back to Bevelle. I left my service in Djose Temple and took you to Bevelle, joined the Priesthood there, raised you in place of your parents," _Siren's face was sad, her eyes tearing up ever so slightly as Pyre talked. _"Being a part of your life, seeing the pain Sin caused you gave me strength to become a Summoner so that you wouldn't suffer again. However..." _She looked pained, as though she had been through this conversation before. _"As hypocritical as it is, as cowardly as it is, Siren I understand what you want. I raised you, you're like my daughter, I love you. So please, please Siren. When Braska's Calm ends I beg you do not become a Summoner! I cannot bear to watch you sacrifice yourself. I was prepared to do the same, once, long ago. I cannot bear to watch you go on your Pilgrimage and die." _I was stunned. This woman, so determined to stop Sin and bring the Calm, suddenly begging a friend not to do as she did. I was so confused.

"_I know, Pyre," _Siren's voice was barely a whisper. _"I was scared when you left on your Pilgrimage. I didn't want to be alone. I understand... but I'm sorry..." _ Pyre seemed to have already known Siren's answer. _"This is something I have to do. I have to be a Summoner, Pyre. Please don't be scared." _I was so confused, I didn't understand what I was seeing, why I was seeing it. I didn't understand any of it. I wanted to understand what was going on.

But I didn't.

Everything went white. I felt a hot, searing pain throughout my body.

I wanted to understand.


	26. Christie: Clarity

Clarity

"I don't get it," Tidus said once we had arrived at the Command Centre. Oblivion had went off to speak to a man in orange robes, leaving us all to our own devices. He did advise us not to leave the Command Centre as the Operation would start soon. "Why would Seymour ask us to come all the way here when we're not even meant to be here in the first place?"

"Since when did you care about rules?" I smiled playfully. I sat on a wooden bench with him, looking out at the camp. It was huge and there were a number of Crusaders around. Really Tidus was asking a question I was wanting to ask as well but wasn't bold enough to open my mouth. In reply to my response Tidus pushed me a lightly.

"I don't, I just don't get what Seymour's planning," He told me. "Remember on the Highroad, Lysander said that Seymour liked Yuna? You think that's it?"

"I don't know," I answered honestly. "I mean, it might be. I don't know if his idea of romance is watching a battle atop the cliffs," Tidus smirked a little at me in amusement. "But we couldn't have ever gotten past the Mushroom Rock without getting caught in the fighting. I don't really know why he allowed us to pass." I started to think properly about Tidus' question. The pair of us just didn't understand what the purpose behind this whole trip was. I didn't know if Seymour was planning anything. Lysander's idea of him liking Yuna might have just been him purposefully pulling at Tidus' leg.

"Hey, Lulu, who's that?" Tidus asked, pointing towards the man in orange robes. Lulu folded her arms and observed as Oblivion and the man spoke.

"That's Maester Wen Kinoc," She informed us. "He's one of the four Maesters of Yevon and leads the Warrior Monks and Crusaders," We noticed Oblivion walking away from Kinoc and the Maester went on to speak with some Crusader Officers. "I didn't think he would be overseeing the Operation personally." We all were surprised when Kinoc approached Auron, appearing friendly and warmer towards the Guardian. Auron was less so.

"Auron, I didn't believe it was you at first, it's been ten years," He said. It's good to see you again," Auron seemed quite distant and I tilted my head slightly. Had something happened between the two? "You must tell where you've been all this time."

"We don't have time for this now, do we?" Auron asked in rhetoric. Gatta came into the camp, saluting the Maester and interrupting the stand-offish reunion.

"All troops are ready to move at your command, sir," He said. Kinoc saluted Gatta and nodded.

"Good. Dismissed," Gatta gave another salute and left as Kinoc spoke to Auron, this time too quiet for us to hear. Beside me Tidus tensed and I thought he'd heard what was said.

"What did they say?"

"I don't know, but I bet it's not good," He said. I nodded. If the Maester didn't want us to know then it was most likely a bad thing. Still what was he telling Auron? As the Maester turned round, Auron couldn't help but smirk to himself.

"That Kinoc? A Maester?" I think he intended to be heard and caused Kinoc to turn around, his face no longer happy as it was before with the man.

"I heard that Auron," He said. "A lot has happened in the last ten years. What were you doing and where?" I thought Auron would brush him off and tell him this wasn't the time to ask questions.

"Fulfilling a promise I made to a friend," Was his answer. "And I still am."

"Tell me one thing: have you seen Zanarkand?" I took a moment to think about that as Auron scoffed and walked away from Kinoc. Auron was a Guardian to Braska and Braska was a High Summoner, so of course he had seen Zanarkand during that Pilgrimage. Then I thought of the Zanarkand Tidus and I had come from. Jecht was also a part of Braska's Pilgrimage. Did Kinoc know about the Zanarkand we had come from?

Seymour arrived in the camp shortly after, bowing to us in greeting and some of us bowing back, namely Yuna, Lulu and Wakka. It was strange that only a small portion of the group were acting respectful. I had no reason not to bow apart from that it felt mechanical to me and I didn't like doing things that didn't feel natural. Maybe I should try a bit harder, just so I don't look ignorant or anything. Even so as soon as Seymour entered the camp a deep pit formed in my stomach. I suddenly wanted to leave.

"Are you okay?" I looked at Yuna as she suddenly spoke. I didn't even see her approach. I wanted to nod my head and not worry her but instead I swallowed nervously and shook my head.

"I don't like it here," I told her. She nodded and held my hand assuringly, like a big sister would.

"I know. I feel like we don't belong here," She wanted to sound as comforting as possible but I could hear the worry in her voice. She didn't want to be here either. "We'll be fine. It'll be okay." She smiled and it made me smile. I felt a little better at her words but the both of us wanted to get away.

"I wish we could just run back to the Highroad but we're stuck here..." I said. I then looked at Yuna, smiling again to reassure her that I felt better. "I know we'll be okay," There was a silence in the camp. Heavy and thick and slightly uncomfortable and tense. We all knew it was starting. I felt anxious again and had to break the silence. "What exactly are they planning to do anyway?"

"Look over there," Auron said, nodding to a huge cage hanging over the cliffs. There was a huge beast inside, nothing like I had seen before. "That is Sinspawn. They plan to have it call to Sin and lure it into a trap," He then looked out to the ocean. That beast scared me, especially since it was so close. It was in a cage and surrounded by Crusaders so that made me feel less on edge. "They won't need to. Sin will come." Both Yuna and I thought he meant that Sin would come anyway because there were so many people here. I swallowed again, staring at the ocean, waiting for something to happen.

Something didn't feel right.

"Everyone get back now!" Oblivion suddenly yelled, wielding his scythe and running out in front of us. I was pulled back by Yuna as the beast charged through the camp. I looked up, shocked at what was attacking us: the Sinspawn. How did it get out? "Get the Maesters out now! Go!" Oblivion ordered the Officers who complied without question, escorting Seymour and Kinoc away from the fight. Everyone prepared their weapons and charged at the thing.

It guarded its chest with its arms, changing our tactics to destroy its protection. It would sometimes attack by charging at us or casting Thunder spells. Once it spat venom at us until Lysander started to focus solely on the head, noticing a pattern when in its attacks. Oblivion was as a strong as I remembered him in Luca, defending us from the heavier blows and cleaving off one of the arms. Tidus and I stood by Yuna, protecting her when the Sinspawn turned its attention to her as she cast spells to heal us and nullify its thunder attacks.

I dodged the Sinspawn's arm as it swung for me, getting it away from Tidus and Yuna. It became stunned from Lysander's gunshot and Auron went for its remaining arm and took it off, leaving its chest exposed. I ran in for a punch that, as I thought, didn't do as much damage as I wanted it to. However now that it was exposed and all of us were attacking it at the one go, it didn't take long to take down, screeching and collapsing on the cliff.

Then we saw it: Sin. It was making it way towards the beach, cannons firing at it from all across the cliffs, doing nothing. We watched it as it came closer, unaffected by anything that was thrown at it. Oblivion had went off to the cage while we had the moment in order to see what had went wrong. I just stood in place, watching Sin come closer to us. I felt scared.

"Look out!" Auron bellowed, making us all get away from the cliffs. We saw what Sin was doing. It formed a barrier around itself, firing a blast of light towards the beach and the cliffs. Panic filled us and we just ran away but it was no use, we were still caught in the explosion.

* * *

I don't know how I ended up on the lower cliffs, or how long I had passed out for. I was in the middle of the cliffs, surrounded by broken cannons and dead bodies, Crusaders and Al Bhed alike. I barely breathed, looking around for the others, not seeing them anywhere. Then I looked out to the cliffs, seeing Sin in the ocean, killing so many people. Why did it need to kill people?

As I watched Sin I thought about the Toxin. How close would I need to be to get affect by it? I hoped I wasn't too close. I didn't think I was. I hoped the others weren't too close. I hoped the others were still on the top of the cliffs.

I felt panicked suddenly. Grace never came back to the Command Centre. She said she'd be back. What if something had happened? What if she was caught in the fight and she was hurt? What if the others were hurt? Where were they? I didn't want to lose them, I didn't want to be alone.

Then I remembered to breathe. I took a huge gape of breath but didn't feel any calmer. I continued breathing, looking around the cliffs. Pyrflies were leaving the bodies of the dead, the cliffs glowing faintly with the same aura of death. It unnerved me to know that all these people had died trying to stop Sin. They all tried and failed.

I wanted to go home. The thought burst into my head so suddenly. I was filled with fear and surrounded by death and all I wanted to do was go home. I wanted to go back to my brother and my sister and my dad back home, back in Ireland, I wanted to go back to Limerick, back were I lived with my family. I wanted to hug my dad and have him tell em it was okay, I wanted to play with my sister. I didn't want to be here any more I just wanted to go home!

My thought track surprised me. I wanted to go home but the sudden burst of memories that flooded back made me stand in shock. My home back in Ireland? Back in Limerick? I... I lived in Limerick, yeah. With my brother and sister and my dad. My mum died when I was young. We never lived in Zanarkand. Lysander was right.

"Christie!" I turned to the voice that called me. It was Oblivion. He looked slightly dishevelled as he approached me, probably having ran or fallen down the cliff. He scanned me to check if I was hurt, thankful I wasn't. "I can't find your friends, I'm sorry. They must be scattered from the explosion," I couldn't say anything and looked at the man as he stared out to the ocean, Sin leaving the massacre. His eyes turned sad and also shocked, as though he had come to a realisation like I had. "I can't believe it... he was right..." I didn't understand, who was right? I didn't think to ask. Oblivion turned his attention to me, noticing the stunned expression on my face. "Christie? Are you all right?" I looked straight at his face. I didn't nod or shake my head or give any response relating to the question. There was only one thing in my head and it was the only thing I felt that I could say, no matter how insane of confused it made me seem.

"I'm not from Spira," Oblivion's expression changed to relief, as though his question was answered.

"I know."


	27. Lysander: Aftermath

Aftermath

It was so cold and silent. The whole place felt numb. Even the waves were silent along the shore, the Pyreflies lit up the beach and the cliffs. It felt like there wasn't a single soul alive.

Except for me.

I remembered being thrown off the cliffs and going out cold. When I woke up I was on the beach, hidden among the bodies of the dead and covered in their blood. When I realised where I was and what the bodies were I threw them off me in horror, trying to wipe the blood and smell of death off my body. My hands were shaking and I couldn't stop my teeth chattering. When I looked around, seeing where I was, it only made me feel worse. The only thing that stopped me from freaking out more was that the water was barely moving.

As far as I could see there was no one else who was alive on the beach. I hoped I'd find people further along and started to walk across the beach, avoiding the dead as best I could. It was so eerily silent it was deafening. I was walking amongst the bodies of the dead and the only thing holding me together was that, as long as I kept walking, I'd eventually find the others. At least I hoped I would. I didn't want them to leave without me. Still they were all alive, everyone was fine, if a little shaken up.

I climbed up the wreckage of a Machina, thinking I was getting closer to the Djose Highroad. I hoped I was, I was sure I was going the right way. It just seemed like an endless walk through death. Part of me wanted to shout to see if I'd get a response. I didn't think anyone would hear. I was alone with the dead. Would any of them become fiends? I hoped not. I really hoped not but I started to be on the lookout just in case.

The beach seemed to be unending. The silence of the place made me feel more nervous. I'd prepared myself for this, or at least I thought I did, but seeing the massacre Sin had caused, that Yevon had allowed, made me feel numb. There was a bitter taste in my mouth. The shock and horror at these deaths turned into disgust that someone would allow these men, women, fuck even _children,_ to die just to strength people's faith was sickening. I felt so angry that anyone would be heartless enough to allow all these people, people who really believed that they could stop Sin for good with this plan, just to die because they turned away from Yevon. I was angry and I was disgusted and I wanted to find that Maester bastard Kinoc and punch him in the face for allowing people to die.

"Lysander!" In the distance I could see a girl calling on me. It was Christie. I breathed a sigh of relief, glad she was okay. She stood on a cliff but after she shouted she jumped down and started climbing over the rocks and Machina to reach me. Behind her, following at a slower pace, was Oblivion. He allowed Christie to rush ahead and I stood where I was, waiting for Christie to reach me. When she did she half tackled me, hugging me tightly. I rubbed her back to comfort her. She pulled back and started to catch her breath before talking. "You were right. You were right I'm not from Spira, the Toxin cleared and I remember everything now."

"Christie are you okay?" I asked her. I was glad the Toxin cleared but it wasn't the best place to talk about it.

"I'm fine. I haven't found anyone else yet though," She said. Oblivion was nearing us now.

"It's good to see you safe," He said to me. He seemed genuine about it. I was still wary of him since he was with the Maesters. "The Djose Highroad isn't far. We hope your friends will be there," I nodded and the three of us started walking across the beach again, Christie sticking close to me. "Before we were thrown by the explosion I went to the Sinspawn's cage. The Crusaders guarding it had died. The lock on the cage looked as though it was been purposefully tampered with, although I didn't get a good enough look to see what they had done."

"How could someone do that?" I asked, not bothering to ask why he was telling us this. Maybe it was to get it off his chest. "Why would someone do that?"

"I'm not sure. If it was purposeful then I'm certain they'll try again," He frowned. "I am certain that, whoever did it, intended to kill everyone in the Command Centre." I always thought that the Sinspawn was too strong for the cage and broke free. But who'd set it loose? Well whoever it was they weren't going to get what they wanted.

"Someone else is here!" Christie exclaimed, having been focusing on the path in front of us. Both Oblivion and I looked and saw a girl on the beach, staring at the ocean. Christie ran towards her with Oblivion and I following. I was surprised to see it was Angel. She looked stunned and, for the first time, looked relieved at seeing us. "What happened? Are you okay?"

"I... I just remember the explosion and... that thing," She said, breathing shallowly. "I woke up here and... I haven't seen anyone else. I can't believe this happened..." She noticed Oblivion and her body tensed slightly and her eyes stared hard at him.

"I'm glad to see you're safe," Oblivion said warmly. His expression didn't change at all and Angel only nodded slightly in reply. "We'd best get to your friends as soon as possible." Angel looked around the group quietly. Christie's brows furrowed and she put her hand on Angel's shoulder to get her attention.

"What about your Crusader friend?"

… Grace.

"I haven't seen her," I said, feeling my chest tighten. "I've walked a huge length of this beach and I haven't seen her."

"Well she wasn't meant to be down here, she might be with the others," Christie reasoned. It made sense and she was right, Grace wasn't meant to be at the beach so she might be heading to the Highroad from the cliffs. I nodded and we started to walk to the end of the beach, hoping to get to the others soon. Even with the hope that Grace was with the others and was okay, there was a feeling that something bad was going to happen. Even after all this carnage there was more to come.

It did take a bit longer than I thought it would but we reached the end of the beach, welcomed by Yuna's Sending. There were fewer Pyreflies here but the atmosphere was the same, if not more hostile. Everyone acknowledged us but only Wakka and Lulu came up to us.

"Hey, you guys okay?" Wakka asked.

"Have you seen Grace?" Christie asked. Lulu frowned and folded her arms.

"We haven't seen her, no," Was the reply. My chest tightened and I looked around the beach more thoroughly. If Grace wasn't here then were was she? Lulu noticed my panic and did her best to quell it. "Many survivors have been heading towards Djose Temple. Grace will probably be waiting for us there." I guess that made sense. I breathed in and nodded. That was probably the case. Grace was fine, she was okay. Nothing was going to happen to her.

The Maesters on the other hand.

I sat up on the path to the Highroad, looking out to the beach for any signs of movement. Oblivion returned to the Maesters and they left after Seymour acted creepy around Yuna, telling her he would be her pillar of strength and shit like that. I turned and watched them leave, giving them all a glare. Although with Oblivion, when he was looking at me, his face wasn't as stern as before. It looked... sympathetic? Sad? Something like that anyway and I didn't know why. I still didn't trust him.

When Christie told me she remembered everything I was amazed, I was starting to think she might have never fully realised that she wasn't from Spira. Sure I told her she was from Earth but I doubt me telling her eventually gave her memory a jump start. It was a good thing she remembered and once we got back with Grace we could tell her and then we could figure out what the deal is with Pyre, Karma and Siren.

A part of me was still saying that Grace was nearby.

"Lysander!" Tidus shouted. I got up and looked at the group, who were ready to leave the battlefield. "Come on! We're going!"

"Shouldn't we wait a little longer for Grace?" I asked.

"Grace might have went ahead," Christie called beside Tidus. "Even if she's not, we can wait for her at Djose. It'll be safer there." I know she just wanted to get away from the death here. To be honest so did I, it was making me feel sick. I don't think Grace would stick around here either, so it was more likely Grace would go to the Temple. She's a Guardian after all.

"Right, I'm coming," I took once last look at the beach and the massacre. I had never been so disgusted at this before. I guess being here really did put it into perspective. Not only that, Grace was willing to do the same as all the other Crusaders and Yevon was prepared to kill them, kill her.

I knew I'd tell Grace, when I next seen her, that Yevon let the Crusaders die. She'd want them to pay for what they did. I think she would, maybe. She believed in the Crusaders, she hated when people said the Operation was a lost cause. I wonder how she'd react to the news, really?


	28. Christie: Djose Temple

Djose Temple

Yuna was determined that we all were smiling throughout the walk across the Djose Highroad. We were all worried about Grace but we knew she'd be waiting at he Temple. I mean she wasn't on the beach, she wasn't meant to be down there anyway so maybe she just got stuck on the cliffs and waited until it was over before going to the Temple. Even with the worry in the group, after we left the beaches the mood of the group had lifted temendously. It was still a shock to me, if i was honest, I'd never seen so many die like that before. Kilika was one thing, this was something else entirely.

There were a lot of wounded Crusaders along the road. Yuna stopped a lot to heal them with her Magic. The only other ealer in the group was Grace with her Alchemy but I gave some of them my potions. Lysander was helping as well but he was bandaging wounds and stopping the bleeding rather than using Potions. They were all thankful to us for helping them, even after they had been excommunicated from the Temples. I didn't think it mattered, they needed help. I didn't understand Yevon or anything but all I hoped was that they'd allow the Crusaders to stay at the Temple and give them help.

I was still getting over the shock of the Toxin clearing. I was worried that it would never clear up. I don't know what happened it just disappeared on its own accord. Everything I had forgotten had came back all at once and the amount of information dazed me. I'd forgotten almost fourteen years of my life because of that Toxin. I was glad but still shaken from all the events that happened recently.

What was even more strange, though, was that all Oblivion said was 'I know'. He knew I wasn't from Spira? How did he know? Did he know that Grace and Lysander were the same? I wonder if he knew Angel as well? This was all so confusing. I thought trying to find out who Siren, Pyre and Karma were, being a Guardian to Yuna and trying to find a way home would be enough but this whole journey's just full of surprises. Part of me was excited to find out everything behind this and eventually go home back to my family but there was that natural worry that something bad would happen. Still the excitment and drive was taking the lead and I couldn't wait to get the Djose Temple and ask the priests about Siren and Pyre when they were Summoners.

Angel had went quiet again but she had a look of shock and worry on her face. She wrung her hands, looking out to the water and her pace kept slowing down and speeding up. I think she wanted a bit of space but knew stopping would be a stupid idea.

"Hey," I said, getting her attention. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," She nodded. "I just didn't expect... what happened to happen."

"None of us did, but it's not our fault," I told her. She nodded and lowered her head. I decided to change the subject. "Hey do you know Oblivion?"

"I know of him," She answered stiffly. "I've heard that he's a callous, cold hearted man. He's done terrible things, killed many people and is wicked, I've heard." Cold hearted? I didn't get that, Oblivion looked like one of the nicest people you could meet. He had acted protective every time we had met him. Was it a ruse he made and were the things Angel heard true? I didn't know, I hoped they weren't otherwise I'd feel edgy about him knowing I'm not from Spira.

"Hey! How much further to Zanarkand?" I was oing to speak but Tidus' question created a new conversation involving the whole group.

"Still a ways," Wakka answered. "We've got to cross the Moonflow," Lysander gave a short, but loud, curse from the back. I guessed crossing the Moonflow meant we had to go over water. "Then we go through Guadosalam and cross the Thunder Plains."

"Then we pass through Macalania," Lulu continued. "Beyond that is the Calm Lands and Mt Gagazet. Beyond the mountain is Zanarkand." Tidus groaned and hunched over.

"So it's a long way, huh?" He said. Yuna just laughed happily and gave a smile.

"And before that we get to pray at the Temple in Djose," She smiled with a sing-song voice.

"We can't just skip all that, can we?" Tidus asked in a half-joking manner. A couple of us laughed as idus rubbed the back of his head.

"I have to pray at every Temple in order to obtain the Final Aeon," Yuna informed him. I remembered the Final Aeon. It was a huge Aeon of immense power that was the only thing that was capable of destroying Sin, even for a small amount of time. Wait if I wasn't from Spira then how could I have known that? I shouldn't have known that. I didn't know a lot about Spira apart from what Tidus and I were told but I don't ever remember us all talking about the Final Aeon.

"Come on," Lysander suddenly said. Then he noticed my expression. "What's wrong?"

"What do you know about the Final Aeon?" I asked him. He seemed taken aback by the question.

"It's what stops Sin. It's in Zanarkand and only Summoners who've completed their Pilgrimage can get it. Why?" He explained. That seemed to be right but if he was form Earth as well how could he have known that?

"I've never really heard about the Final Aeon but when Yuna mentioned it I just knew," I explained. "But that doesn't make sense. I'm not from Spira and I don't know a lot, so how could I have known that? How could you have known that?"

"Did you know anything about Spira before you came here?" The question, as stupid as it sounded, made sense to me. I thought about it. Lysander decided to expand. "Deja vu is places... things you've done? Things people have said?"

"I don't know... I mean here look familiar but I wouldn't say I've been here beore myself," I answered. Then I remembered Zanarkand. I remembered being scared, alone and knowing my family were on a different planet. I knew this was a different world as soon as I arrived. I remembered banging my head, blood coming out of it when I had fallen on the street back in Limerick. I touched my head, where I had hit it. Lysander waited for me to come to a conclusion. "When I went to Zanarkand, I realised that I was on a different planet," A different planet that seemed familiar. How it was familiar still eluded me. "But it feels like, maybe I was here before? But not me... but... I don't know."

"It's okay, let's go," Lysander sounded oddly fine with my answer. I didn't get it. "I've been getting deja vu here. I've never been here but I've noticed that, when I do certain things, I get the feeling that I've done them before."

"How long did it take you to learn Al Bhed?" I asked. "I mean you weren't with the Al Bhed that long were you?"

"Sinx months," He answered. "And I don't know. The Al Bhed never taught me. I just... always knew how to speak it," That's weird. We walked over the bridge towards the Temple, where the others were waiting on us. "Me and Angel will wait outside the Temple, right? We won't be allowed to go in since we're not Guardians, remember?"

"Yeah," I nodded. When we reached the group they were with someone. Someone on the ground, rocking back and forth, a look of pure terror and horror on their face. What had happened to Gatta?

"Are you okay?" Wakka asked.

"It's Luzzu, he," Gata babbled, trying to bring himself to say what happened. I started to feel worried, what had happened? "He was on the beach... he got... torn in half and..." The image hit me quickly. The idea of Luzzu's legs separated from his torso made me gag a little.

"That idiot!" Wakka said with anger. It was anger that he let himself get killed. I understood what Wakka meant.

"And Grace... Grace was..." Grace? What happened. "I saw her... she went after me when I ran to the front lines and she... she got run through my Macina. Her eyes were still open," My palms felt sweaty and my mouth gaped. "I can't do this! I'm going back to Besaid!" Grace was... dead?

"Hey where you going?" Wakka called on Lysander as the boy turned and stormed back to the bridge.

"I'll go after him," I said, running after Lysander. He stood on the bridge, his head in his hands and pacing angrily like he didn't know what to do with himself. "Lysander?" I didn't know what to do to calm him or make him feel better.

"She can't be dead!" He shouted. He was acting like he was talking to himself more than me, I was just within earshot. "She can't fucking be dead! That's not possible! There's no way she can be dead!"

"Lysander she knew what could happen," I tried to say. "She knew there was a possibility that she..." I couldn't bring myself to say it. I didn't want to believe Grace was dead either.

"You don't get it Christie!" He yelled. "You don't get it, she wasn't meant to die! She can't be dead! She isn't dead!" I didn't understand what he meant. She wasn't meant to die? She wasn't immune from it. I didn't understand what he was saying.

"Lysander stop shouting," I said.

"Shut up Christie!" I just wanted him to stop shouting. I wanted him to calm down. Still his anger was making me want to shout right back, hoping that if I shouted louder he would stop.

"I'm just trying to help!" I yelled. "I don't know what's going on! I've just got rid of this Toxin and found out my friend's gone! I don't know what's going on! I don't know what you mean by she wasn't meant to die! I just want you to stop shouting!" All of a sudden Lysander had been knocked onto his back and I felt oddly calm. He, on the other hand, was confused and pissed off.

"What the fuck was that?" He asked, getting up.

"I don't know... I..." The calm was replaced with confused and a bit of panic. What just happened?

"Christie," I looked at Angel, who I hoped hadn't seen what just happened. "They're going into the Temple, you should go with them. We'll wait for you all in the Inn." I nodded and headed towards the Temple. I still couldn't believe it, Grace was dead and... she was dead. I couldn't believe she was dead.


	29. Lysander: Adjustment

Adjustment

"... Lysander?"

"... Yeah?"

"I can't sleep," I sat up in bed and looked around the really small room we were cramped into inside the Temple. The inn was filled with wounded Crusaders so we had to bunk in the one room. Everyone seemed to be asleep aside from myself, Christie and Yuna who was healing the Crusaders and performing Sendings. Today'd been really stressful... actually stressful doesn't even fucking cut it.

"Right, what's up?" I asked, keeping my voice down so no one would wake up. I noticed her shift and sit up in the dark room. I don't think she'd slept the whole time we'd been here. Neither had I actually.

"I just... I can't believe she's dead..." She said quietly. I wanted to deny it and she she wasn't dead, I really didn't want Grace to be dead but there was no proof. I still didn't want it to be right though. "I thought she'd come back and everything would be okay and we could go on with the Pilgrimage. When we found out I've... not stopped thinking about it," I nodded even though she probably couldn't see it unless her eyes were adjusting to the dark. Mine's were a bit but I could only make out the shapes of everyone in the room. "If... when we go home, people will ask questions about what happened to us, where were we, things like that. We'll have to say something, I think. Then I think about Grace's family. They're not going to know what happened to her, they'll never see her again and eventually she'll have to be declared dead back home and..." She took a breath. She didn't sound teary, just upset. I thought she'd be crying. "I think about if... what if it happens to one of us? What if one of us..."

"Hey, Christie, just don't say it, right?" I stopped her. I wasn't going to let her think like this. "Trust me, I'm not going to let anything happen to either us, right? I promise. Nothing's going to happen."

"You really think so?" She asked.

"Yeah. Nothing's going to happen to us, I'll make sure of it," I hoped I calmed her with that. To be honest I wasn't sure if I could be certain nothing would happen to us. Before the Operation I was so sure that, because we were with Yuna on her Pilgrimage, we'd be fine and nothing would happen to us. Bumps, bruises and scrapes, yeah but nothing like severe injuries of death. I thought we could avoid that. Guess not. Guess no one's safe. I still said to Grace I'd look after Christie and I'd do that.

"When we got thrown from the cliffs, I blurted to Oblivion that I wasn't from Spira," Christie continued. She'd said that? I didn't really trust Oblivion from the company he kept and the funny looks he'd give me. "And all he said was 'I know'."

"What? What do you mean he knew?" I asked.

"I don't know," She sighed. "All I can think of is that he always knew we weren't from Spira. I'm sure if he knew I wasn't he must have known that the same went for you and Grace," It must have. It might explain the funny looks. Might. "He didn't say anything else about it and I didn't ask... I don't know what to do about it." Oblivion's normally with Seymour, so chances are we'll see him in Guadosalam. I wasn't going to stop Christie in asking but if he hurt her I'd fucking shoot his balls off. Then again he might know things, like how to get home, if there was any way to save Grace, about Angel. I wasn't stupid, something had happened with Oblivion and Angel in the past, considering their interactions. They'd known each other for some time, but Angel was only thirteen. They didn't look like each other, expect them both being ginger, but they must have known each other.

"You worried about anything else?" I asked. Christie was quiet for a while, I saw her bow her head in thought and tiredness. She was quiet for so long I actually thought she'd fallen asleep. There must be something that was worrying her.

"Not really, no," She said.

"Then try get some sleep. Wake me if you need me," I told her. I lay back down on the floor and waited kept quiet. I think Christie must have went to sleep not long after. I still couldn't sleep though since I was thinking so much about what Christie had told me, thinking about Grace, and thinking about what happened when me and Angel were waiting for them to come out of the Cloisters.

We'd met Isaaru and his brothers as they left the Temple and they had talked to us, asking if we were Crusaders. We told them we were with Yuna and then he got the information about Summoners going missing, which we passed on to the others when they got back. Most of the time I was really pacing up and down the bridge trying to figure out how Grace had died. I still couldn't understand. Again I was certain that, because we were with Yuna's group, we'd be fine, we wouldn't worry about this. Funny how things like that kick you in the balls.

Then Angel started asking questions about the argument I had with Christie. That was something I didn't get and had stuck in my mind. There was nothing to it. I was angry, we yelled and then we apologised to each other. She asked about why I was on the ground, if Christie pushed me. I said no, I told her I stumbled because I wasn't concentrating and fell over. She didn't press further than that but I started to think about the force that did push me. It didn't just feel like a blast of wind. It felt hot and frustrated which is completely stupid but that's what I felt when I got hit my that blast. Maybe it was nothing, maybe I was just too pissed off to think straight.

I decided to try get to sleep and not think of anything. If I was lucky I'd get a couple of hours of sleep before we had to get up tomorrow. When I was trying to get to sleep I heard someone leaving the room. It did make me jump a bit because I was half-asleep and the noise was sudden but I didn't think anything else of it.

* * *

The next morning was very grey and very quiet. We were waiting for Yuna to wake up so we could get going. It did take a while but Tidus went in to see her and she came out not long after, looking a total mess. Naturally we laughed at her expense.

"Yuna you look like you've been dragged through a hedge backwards," Christie laughed as Lulu fixed the girl's hair, smiling as well. Yuna's face was a picture; she was so embarrassed at herself but she was taking it in good fun. After a few quick and playful jibes we laughed and started to make our way back to the main path. Yuna was still pretty embarrassed though. I was fucking shattered from lack of sleep and I wasn't looking forward to going on the Shoopuff.

"So there isn't like another way round the Moonflow?" I asked when we left the Djose area. "You know, like a bridge or something? We _have_ to ride the Shoopuff?"

"It's the quickest way across," Wakka said. "It'd take too long looking for a way around."

"What's a Shoopuff?" Tidus asked.

"Like a big..." I was going to say elephant but thought better of it. "Living boat. It's huge and you sit on it's back while it carries you across the water." Tidus' face lit up almost instantly at the idea of riding a Shoopuff across water.

"That sounds cool," He said.

"Whatever floats your boat, mate," I saw Auron smirking to himself, probably about the story of when Jecht got hammered and went for the Shoopuff, sword I hand. In hindsight, the story was hilarious but I can't imagine it being funny when it actually happened. My thoughts about the Shoopuff Incident were interrupted when we bumped into a familiar, and in my opinion fucking annoying, face.

"Good day everyone," Shelinda said to us. Yuna smiled and they shared a bow. I knew what she was going to say, roughly, and it'd already soured my mood. "We can all learn a lesson from what has happened to the Crusaders," Yup, mood soured. "Only the truly faithful have a hope of defeating Sin." Before I opened my mouth to get a dig in at her Christie actually came out from the back of the group and approached Shelinda.

"A friend of ours, a Crusader, Grace died in that battle," She told her, making the Yevonite's face pale in shock. Christie's voice was steady and calm and she didn't look the least bit angry. I thought she'd sound at least hurt or something. "I get that you were against the Operation, like all of Yevon, but please don't knock their, or her, efforts for trying to stop Sin."

"I-I'm so sorry, I wasn't aware," She did another bow as if it would take her words away. "I am truly sorry for your loss. I hope that you can visit her in the Farplane."

"It's quite all right," Yuna stepped in before I could speak, again. "It's been a recent loss that is hard on us all. We know that she died trying to protect Spira," She bowed quickly. "I'm sorry but we must be going."

"Yes, I won't keep you any longer," Good because I don't like you. We turned and left, walking up the Moonflow path in a bit of silence which was broken soon enough.

"Are you okay?" Lulu asked to start off with. It was directed at me. "You looked rather... angry back there."

"You looked as if you were going to kill someone," Tidus mentioned with a small chuckle, hands behind his head.

"She shouldn't be insulting the Crusaders for trying, I don't care if it was wrong in Yevon's eyes," I replied, trying to wave it off. "The fact that she'd known that Grace was Crusader beforehand and she still made that comment pissed me off more. I thought she'd give a little respect to a Guardian."

"I think, that maybe you're taking it the wrong way," Yuna spoke, again being as diplomatic as possible. "She didn't mean it like that."

"Then how could she have meant it?" I challenged. Yuna lowered her head in though but it looked as though she couldn't think of an answer quick enough. "She was all about stopping the Operation because of the Machina," I almost wanted to add that I felt it was like a big show to prove that Yevon was the only way and everyone who turned their back, Al Bhed or not, would be killed for defying their faith. I didn't, partly because I would have gotten a lot of crap for it from most of the group, mostly because Yuna's face looked faintly sad but she was hiding it well. I still found it weird that she was older than me. Instead I went a different way. "Sorry. I'm just not taking Grace's death well."

"Once we reach Guadosalam, would you like to visit the Farplane?" Yuna asked softly. "It might not help much but at least you can say goodbye." Apart from Grace I really had no one who died, thankfully.

"Yeah, if it won't take up too much time for you, Yuna," I nodded. Yuna seemed to radiate this sort of aura that made everyone feel better. I think it must have been a Summoner thing if I was honest. If I'd lived on Spira my whole life and saw a Summoner party I think I'd feel a lot better about the situation. Well not by much knowing that they were willingly sacrificing themselves. Still it was nice that Yuna was doing everything she could to make everyone feel better.


	30. Christie: Crossing the Moonflow

Crossing the Moonflow

I couldn't believe how pretty the Moonflow was! There were so many flowers along the bank, white ones, purple ones, some blue ones, all of them were so pretty. Yuna crouched down at the bank to get a closer look. It only seemed like Yuna, Tidus and I were the fascinated ones, everyone else was pretty damn stoic. Well we did hear from Kimahri's tribesmen that Summoners had been disappearing. It was weird, I didn't get why people would kidnap Summoners. They were the only ones who could defeat Sin so why would anyone want to stop that?

"What are the flowers called?" I asked as I got closer to the bank with Yuna, reaching out to touch one of the flowers. A Pyrefly passed over my hand, bobbing along slowly across the plants. I was curious about that bit, how were Pyreflies here? "And why are the Pyreflies here? Won't it cause fiends to appear?"

"These are Moonlilies," Yuna explained before studying a Pyrefly that passed her face. "Although I'm not sure why the Pyreflies gather here. They've always just gathered near flowers."

"They say more gather at nightfall," Lulu added. "The entire river glows, like a sea of stars. "I would have loved to see that, a whole sea of Pyreflies just peacefully shining away. I couldn't even imagine how pretty that would have looked.  
"Hey I got an idea!" Tidus suddenly announced, raising his hand up in the air. I stood up and stepped back from the bank, watching the Pyreflies flutter around the Moonlilies.

"We're not waiting til nightfall," Auron swiftly answered, shutting down Tidus' plan altogether. Putting his hand down he thought of a different idea.

"Well, after we defeat Sin, then we'll all come back," He said. I thought it was a great idea but the silence that filled the group said otherwise. Why did they not like the idea? It was a good idea: everyone together, Sin dead, watching the Pyreflies gather. It was a good idea but no one said anything to agree with it. I didn't get it.  
"We'd better hurry before we miss the Shoopuff," Wakka said before we all started to walk across the bank towards a larger area. I heard a noise and looked ahead of me, seeing this large, grey creature walking out of the water and onto land, standing at a huge contraption that moved around, letting the people on top of the creature off it, back onto ground. The people performed a bow to blue creatures, a lot of them working around the big grey creature.

Tidus was just as amazed as I was, we both stared at the big creature in wonder. I'd never seen anything like this in Spira before, it was so fascinating. The Moonflow was my favourite place now. Around the group were different expressions: Lysander, obviously, wasn't looking too good, Lulu and Kimahri were pretty stoic about the whole thing, Wakka and Yuna both had grins on their faces, Angel just seemed unimpressed as usual and Auron was studying the creature, as though he was trying to look for something on it. I suddenly felt really bad looking around the group. We weren't all here. It still hurt that Grace was gone. I bet she would have loved here as well. I missed her but I was trying to not let it get me down. Yuna mentioned something about a Farplane and seeing Grace, that confused me but I didn't ask about it. I'd probably ask when we got closer, since it was in Guadosalam and that was across the Moonflow.

Wakka told us that this was the Shoopuff, making Tidus and I even more excited. We still had a bit of time left before the Shoopuff headed out so we got separated to get more supplies and stuff. Lysander was sitting on the steps that headed up to the large machine that lifted people onto the Shoopuff's back so I went over to him. He was probably preparing himself for crossing the water. I'm sure it wouldn't take long.

"Hey, what's up?" I asked, putting my hands behind my back. Lysander looked up at me, his brows furrowed in a way that said I already knew, so why was I asking, sort of way. I sat down beside him. "It'll be fine, it won't be as long as the boat trips or anything. We'll be on and off it before you know it," I noticed something in his hand. It was glowing faintly, a little silver glow. "What's that?" He looked at his hand that held the object before shrugging.

"Don't know, found it in Bikanel ages ago," He answered. "Sphere doesn't do anything, no recordings, doubt it's from a Temple. It's just an empty Sphere. Been holding onto it just 'cause. Thought it'd do something, like get us home."  
"Maybe it does, maybe it's like a key and we just have to find what it connects to," I suggested. It looked as though Lysander was thinking the same thing. "I guess we'll just have to wait and see."

"Guess so," Lysander shrugged. "Hey you go bother other people, right? I'll get myself ready to leave." I smiled and nodded, leaving him to himself. I hoped he'd be okay on the Shoopuff but I was sure he'd be okay. There were some vendors across from the Shoopuff so I went over to take a look at some of the things there. Lulu and Wakka were there, discussing something I didn't bother listening to. Probably about what to do after we cross. During my absent-minded scanning of the items I was joined by another person.

"You aren't troubled any more?" I looked at Angel, a bit surprised since she had appeared from nowhere. She looked at the items, not looking interested by them. "You seem to handle yourself better than Lysander has."

"About Grace?" She nodded. "I'm still upset over it, just because I'm not showing it doesn't mean I'm not upset," I didn't get why she was just bringing it up randomly. She was really quiet most of the time, it was a bit unsettling. "We're all just handling it in our own ways. How about you? You okay?"

"I'm fine," She said, although I wasn't sure if she was telling the truth or not. She never really got close to any of us and kept her distance but I thought Angel would be a little disturbed by it. I mean Grace should have at least been a comrade to her.

"Did you manage to get a message to your uncle?" She looked a bit confused over what I was talking about. I didn't get why. "Remember you said you'd tell your uncle you were travelling with us because you had something to do?"

"Oh, oh yes, I did," Angel replied quickly, brushing a bit of hair behind her ear. "I sent it at the Inn before we left for the Djose Highroad, I haven't heard a reply but I did say I'd be travelling and I may not receive it."

"Well you could have suggested he send letter to places further ahead that you know you'll reach in time to get it," I offered and took a look at some of the weapons a vendor had on display. I noticed a couple of claw-type weapons along with the swords and spears. There weren't any guns for Lysander though because of Yevon's forbidding them. His were still in pretty good condition though. One thing that I wondered about was why nobody really went on at Lysander for using them. Even at the Temples no one said anything. Well now that I think about he didn't go near the Besaid Temple, I don't think anyone said anything at Kilika, and they must have just assumed he was a Crusader at Djose for having them. It just struck me as odd that, for all their talk of Machina being bad, Lysander didn't get a lot of flak for it.

Angel half-ignored my suggestion about the letters and looked at some of the weapons as well. Wakka called on us to let us know that it was time to go on the Shoopuff so we went up to the lift to get on the Shoopuff. I nudged Lysander to make sure he was okay and he just gave me a nod in reply. We had to go in two groups up the lift to get on the Shoopuff since our group was pretty big and Lysander had opted to get on with the first group to get it done with quickly. I couldn't wait to get on the Shoopuff, it just looked so fun. As soon as we were all on it we started to head into the water. It was in silence for the first little while but when we were further out Wakka got our attention.

"Hey, Tidus, Christie, take a look down there," We both went over to look over the side. I wasn't sure what we were meant to be looking at to start with but Tidus seemed to be able to see what Wakka was talking about.

"Whoa! A sunken city?" Once he had said that I could see the pieces of broken building rippling underneath the surface. It kind of looked like Zanarkand in a way, it must have been from the same time.

"More than a thousand years old," Wakka confirmed my suspicions. There must have been a lot of cities like this and Zanarkand. "It was built above the river, a great Machina city."

"But the weight of the city caused it to collapse on itself and it sank to the bottom of the river," You could see Lysander visibly shudder. He didn't complain, like I thought he would, and kept out of the conversation. Well until we stopped talking about water related things anyway.

"It's a good lesson," Wakka nodded. Tidus gave me a glance and I shrugged, I didn't know what the lesson here was. Wakka gave us a prompt: "Why build a city over water, ya?" Again, Tidus and I gave each other a glance, thinking over our answers.

"Well, uh, I guess all that water there would be convenient, right?" Tidus guessed. I nodded along with his answer because it seemed to make sense. A city with a big water supply would be really useful. During my time in Zanarkand, a lot of the Machina were powered by water.

"That's not why!" Wakka frowned. "They just wanted to prove they could defy the laws of nature!" I frowned and sat back down, Tidus did the same.

"Are you sure?" I questioned, feeling some talk about Yevon was going to come up, what with all the Machina talk so far. Lysander could see it too and rolled his eyes, something Wakka chose to ignore.

"Yevon has taught us: when people have power, they seek to use it. You don't stop them they go too far, ya?" Wakka said.

"What about the Stadium and stuff? That's all Machina, right?" Tidus asked. That was true, that was good Machina though, I guess.

"Yevon decides which Machina we may use, and what we may not," Lulu answered calmly. Tidus nodded, understanding it better.

"So what may we not use then?" He questioned.

"Remember Operation Mi'ihen? Those things Lysander uses? That kind," Lysander didn't give a reply but glared Wakka down. "It's that kind of Machina that started a huge war in Spira." Tidus looked confused at Wakka's comment, so Yuna decided to step in.

"More than a thousand years ago, mankind waged a war using Machina to kill," She started.

"They kept building more and more powerful Machina," Wakka continued.

"They continued to build weapons, eventually it was feared that these Machina were so powerful they could destroy the entire world," Lulu went on.

"People feared that Spira would be destroyed," Yuna said.

"But the war did not stop!" I think there must have been a rota for the three of them to tell parts of the story.

"Sin came after that," Yuna frowned. "It destroyed the cities and their Machina."

"The war ended," Lulu was also frowning at the story. "And our reward... was Sin."

"Sin's our punishment for letting things get out of hand," Wakka finished. We sat and thought about the story. I wasn't sure if there was more detail to the story, like who were the cities at war? Why were they fighting? What exactly was Sin anyway? It couldn't have just appeared out of thin air to stop the war, something must have called it there.

"It's not Machina that are bad though," Lysander finally said, sounding agitated already like he was expecting a fight. "It's the people who use it who're the dicks."

"It's because of people like the Al Bhed screwing things up!" My head turned to look at Lysander. His face just soured right there and then, his eyes flashing with pure rage at the remark.

"That right?" Before he could fly off the handle the Shoopuff came to a halt. Some of us stood up to take a look around, to see if there was anything that had frightened the Shoopuff at all. We couldn't see anything though. Lysander turned around to Yuna and started yelling "Crub!" Yuna screamed and we saw an Al Bhed man grab her and take her off the Shoopuff, Tidus and Wakka following after. "Cred." He kept repeating the word over and sat down. I paced the small length of the Shoopuff carriage with worry. Where did the Al Bhed come from? We would have noticed if they were following. Was it an ambush then?

"Lysander," I said suddenly, looking directly at him. He snapped his head up to stare back at me. "Why are they doing this? They kidnapped her in Luca because of the Blitzball game but why are they doing it now?" He must have known; he had been with the Al Bhed for a while before. He must have had some idea to why they'd take Yuna.

"I don't know," Was all he said. He didn't elaborate or give a theory. Just that he didn't know. I sat back down eventually. We couldn't do much until Tidus and Wakka came back. I wanted to go down and help them but I knew I couldn't hold my breath for as long as they could. They'd all be okay. I hoped so anyway.

* * *

I didn't know how long it had been, but Tidus and Wakka did come back up to the Shoopuff with Yuna. They were all completely drenched but completely fine, if a little beaten up. They said that there was a Machina under the water that held Yuna, much like when she was taken in Luca. I still didn't understand why the Al Bhed would do this.

The Shoopuff started to move again once we had all gotten settled and sat back down. The attack put us all on high alert in case the Al Bhed tried to attack again though they might have pulled back after losing Yuna and their Machina getting destroyed. It was silent for a long time but the tension was clear. Something was going to just set it off soon, I could feel it.

"I don't understand why the Al Bhed would do something like this," Angel spoke. I knew it was coming, the tension was going to hit boiling point. "What do they hope to gain from kidnapping Yuna?"

"Maybe they're angry they lost the tournament," Wakka bitterly said. Lysander's eyes flashed angrily again and my fists clenched in anxiety. "Wait! They're mad about Operation Mi'ihen!"

"I don't think that's it," I admitted, starting to recall a conversation we had with two Ronso on the way to the Moonflow. It was not long after we had met Shelinda, we saw two Ronso that started to taunt Kimahri, saying something about the Summoners vanishing. Now that I think about it, didn't Lysander also mention that the Summoner Isaaru said something about Summoners disappearing?

"I wonder..." Lulu was thinking the same thing as me. "Lysander? You said that you heard rumours of Summoners disappearing at Djose, didn't you?" Lysander nodded and he looked really riled up. "Kimahri's clansmen said the same thing." But why were they kidnapping Summoners? There must have been a reason behind it.

"So _that's_ it!" Wakka growled. "Those sand blasted grease monkeys!" There was a heavy silence. Heavy and uncomfortable and it was not going to be broken in the best way.

"Wakka..." Lysander rose his head up to face the Blitzball player. His eyes were narrowed and a scowl crossed his face. "Shut the fuck up. Don't ever fucking talk about the Al Bhed like that again, you fucking hear me?"

"So what? You just going to let them kidnap Yuna?" Wakka argued. Lysander rose his eyebrow, the scowl deepening. I sunk back in my seat a bit, thinking that Lysander would launch himself at Wakka at any moment now.

"Did I say that? No I fucking didn't," He spoke in a low tone, the corner of his mouth curling into a sneer. I sunk back further and held my breath. "But how about you just shut up and quit being such a dickhead towards people?"

"You think it's okay for the Al Bhed to be doing what they're doing?" Wakka asked with his voice rising. Lysander rose up from his seat and was ready to swing at the man.

"Yuna's safe isn't that what matters?" Angel spoke up. I stood and grabbed Lysander's arm, pulling him back into his seat.

"Yeah, we'll protect her from anyone, anywhere, that's what Guardians do right?" Tidus added. "It's that easy. That's all I need to know." The rest of the trip was silent after that and Lysander stormed off ahead of the group once we hit land. We just let him go to cool off for a couple of minutes. We weren't going to go anywhere soon since lots of people had gathered to speak to Yuna, having seen the spectacle from the banks. Eventually Tidus, Angel and myself decided to go find Lysander while Lulu calmed Wakka down.


End file.
